Lightning on a Cloudless Night
by MarshmallowRabbit
Summary: Kakashi Hatake never expected an old friend to come back from the dead. Jiraiya the Sannin never expected a second chance to keep a certain promise. And Naruto Uzumaki never expected to come home one day and find a strange woman living in his apartment. Who knew that one small request from the fourth Hokage could change the course of history?[Adventure/Friendship/Slow Burn Romance]
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. of Naruto is the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

The cover art is courtesy of CoolBoySent. He has some amazing work, so feel free to check out his DeviantArt!

* * *

The morning sun rose over the rooftops of Konoha, bathing them in an orange hue. Kakashi Hatake stood before the grave and solemnly watched the sunlight dance around the inscription on the gravestone. He had cleaned Rin's gravestone the week before, so it shone brightly back at him in an almost cheery manner. He sighed, shifting his knapsack and turning to gaze at the endless rows of markers in the cemetery. Even though he couldn't see it from where he stood, he knew the precise location of another gravestone — one he'd been neglecting. His stomach churned in guilt as he took a few steps to his right. He stopped, unable to bring himself further. He gripped the straps on his knapsack tightly and turned about toward the entrance of the cemetery. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

—

"Some things never change, right?"

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "Sorry I'm late," he said. "I had a last minute errand to attend to."

Sakura Haruno crossed her arms and huffed. Kakashi glanced at Naruto Uzumaki and was dismayed by the serious look on his face. He seemed to be looking off into the distance at nothing in particular, unaware that Kakashi had even arrived. Kakashi had feared as much; Naruto hadn't been able to focus on anything since Sasuke had defected from Konoha. It took some convincing, but Tsunade had finally agreed to assigning Team 7 a mission.

—

"I don't like it," she had stated frankly. Kakashi had visited her office almost every day for the previous two weeks with the same request. He was delighted when she finally handed him a plain folder the afternoon before last.

"I think it would be good for them to take their minds off of everything," he said as he opened the folder.

"The Akatsuki are after him, if you haven't noticed," the Hokage said.

Kakashi ignored her remark and began to scan the mission briefing. It was short — only a single page. Only a C-Rank, from the look of it. A merchant carrying a small collection of valuable gemstones was looking for an escort to a village about a day and a half's journey to the east. It would be a three-day mission at most. His eye caught something interesting toward the bottom of the page. "He requested me specifically?"

"Yes. He heard about your dealings with the bridgemaker and said that he would feel safest having you escort him." Tsunade looked uneasy. Kakashi began to fear that she was second guessing her decision.

"If you think this could be the Akatsuki —"

"No," she said bluntly. "I did a full background check into this merchant. Everything checks out." She stood and faced the window. "I have faith that you can control him. If Naruto takes off to go after Sasuke, I'm holding you fully accountable."

"Right," Kakashi said glumly as he placed the folder back on her desk.

"And if there's so much as a whiff of the Akatsuki —"

"I know," he said. "I'll handle it."

—

The scene faded from his mind as his group approached the inn. Kakashi was pleased to see that the merchant was standing out front waiting for them. He was an older man with a slightly hunched back and a long beard that almost reached his knees.

"Ah you must be Kakashi," the merchant said warmly as he reached for Kakashi's hand. "The name is Masao Ito! I'm glad you were able to accept my request. The roads aren't as safe as they used to be … but with someone like you along I should be able to make it to the next village with no problems!"

The man laughed heartily and gave Kakashi a surprisingly strong clap on his shoulder.

"Of … of course" Kakashi said, rubbing his arm slightly. "These are my comrades — they will be accompanying us on the mission: Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki."

"Nice to meet you!" Sakura chirped.

"Nice to meet you, Gramps!" Naruto chimed in.

"Naruto —" Kakashi warned.

"Haha, don't worry about it!" the merchant said. "The kid didn't mean anything by it!"

The old man smiled and began to walk toward the main road exiting the village. Naruto grinned and shrugged as he followed.

Sakura jogged to catch up to Naruto. "Really Naruto, you can be so rude …"

Kakashi smiled and began to follow. So far things were going as he had hoped: It was a simple mission to take their minds off of Sasuke. For the time being, at least.

* * *

The first day of traveling was completely uneventful. The group made camp that evening as the sun was setting, and Kakashi gave Sakura permission to start a fire. Luckily, Masao was a very cheery man with a story behind every gem he carried. Sakura "oohed" and "aahed" at the stones as he held them to sparkle in the firelight; Naruto begged the old man to tell the story behind each one, which usually involved the gemstone being stolen and recovered by one brave shinobi or another. Looking at their smiling faces, Kakashi felt this was the closest team 7 had come to being whole again for the past few months. As the night wore on, Kakashi doused the fire and told the others to get some sleep as he took the first watch. About an hour after Kakashi had staked out a spot on a nearby tree branch, the sound of chirping crickets was interrupted by Masao's emergence from the campsite.

"Is something bothering you, Mr. Ito?" Kakashi asked as he looked down at the man. Masao shook his head. "Please call me Masao. And no, just an old man having some trouble sleeping."

With a little difficulty he lowered himself to sit against the trunk of a nearby tree.

"I always wondered something," he said nonchalantly. "What is it like to be a shinobi? There must be a lot of heartbreak in the profession. Watching so many comrades die for reasons that may not have even been fully explained to you."

Kakashi was taken aback by the bluntness of the question. He was, however, familiar with the interest outsiders possessed concerning the lives of shinobi.

"It's a more dangerous occupation than most. A shinobi must not only have faith in their own abilities, but also that of their comrades. That teamwork is the key to pulling off a successful mission," he stated.

Masao chuckled slightly. Kakashi wondered if he had been a little too dismissive in his answer.

"I'm sorry," Masao said, "that was a little out of place. This is the first time that I've spent more than a few minutes dealing with Shinobi, and my curiosity just got the better of me."

The two of them sat in silence for some time before Kakashi heard the grunting of Masao lifting himself up off the ground. The old man turned back toward the campsite, but stopped himself after taking a few steps.

"Tell me, Kakashi … Do you believe that you do good things as a Shinobi? That the missions you go on, the people you help, that everything you do is for the greater good?"

Kakashi studied Masao in the darkness. The merchant's attitude had changed after the others had gone to sleep, but Kakashi was familiar with the feeling of unwanted thoughts creeping up on someone when things became too quiet.

"I believe that what I do is for the good of Konoha," Kakashi said, "and that means protecting everyone in it from harm. The goal of the village is to facilitate peace in our nation, which is a goal I can stand behind."

Masao stood silently for a moment before letting out a chuckle.

"Spoken like a true shinobi," he said as he walked back toward the campsite.

Kakashi watched the old man crawl into his sleeping bag and lay still. After some time Kakashi relaxed and turned his attention to the stars twinkling in the night sky. He reached out a finger and traced the outline of the constellation of the one-tailed beast, Shukaku, directly overhead.

 _"The tail points southwest, toward the Land of Wind. I've only been there once; I was young, so I don't remember much, but I do remember finding sand in my shoes for over a week afterwards ..."_

The girl's' voice echoed in his head as he stared at the sky. Kakashi felt a familiar knot in his stomach and he moved his attention elsewhere. After a few hours he leapt down from the tree to wake Sakura for her shift. A rustling sound emerged from the forest a few feet from camp. He turned toward the source, listening intently. The rustling stopped. He could sense no further movement, and in the air he could only pick up the smell of damp earth.

 _Probably just a rabbit. But still ..._

He continued toward camp, now fully intending to wake both his teammates. As he passed by Masao, he glanced down to see that the hole where Masao's head should have been was empty. Puzzled, Kakashi unzipped the sleeping bag to reveal a cluster of woven bags packed tightly into the interior.

 _A substitution jutsu? How did anyone get into camp?_

Before he could finish his thought, the middle bag began to glow from the inside. He leapt back.

"Earth-style: Mud Wall!" he yelled, his hands a blur of movement. He pushed his palms against the ground. The ground rippled, but remained still.

 _What?!_

The sleeping bag burst into a series of explosions as each of the smaller bags inside ignited. Kakashi took the brunt of the blast. He was thrown back, his left shoulder and head striking a nearby tree with enough force to break his collarbone. As he hit the ground, he could hear Sakura and Naruto yelling his name, their voices sounding as if they were underwater. Blackness edged in as his surroundings became more muddled. He pushed himself stiffly onto his knees. A hand appeared from behind him, placing itself firmly over his nose and mouth. He tried to move, but found that his arms and legs were firmly stuck into the ground.

 _Earth-style jutsu. That's why before …_

He choked. The hand covering his face was holding a poisoned-soaked cloth.

 _Dammit! Naruto! Sakura! I need to …_

As he lost consciousness, he could feel himself being lifted from the ground.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of my fanfic! I'm shooting to update this a few times a week (M/W/F at the time being), since my chapters flow better in shorter segments. Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

"Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto yelled into the darkness. The fire lit up the surrounding area, but Kakashi was nowhere to be seen.

"Naruto!"

Naruto turned his attention to Sakura, who came running toward him from the opposite side of the clearing.

"I couldn't find Kakashi-Sensei or Mr. Ito anywhere," she said. "I think Kakashi-Sensei must have already grabbed him and taken him away from any danger. I don't sense anyone nearby, so we should go back to the road like we planned in case of an attack."

Naruto nodded and followed Sakura as they leapt through the trees back to the road. As they traveled farther from the campsite with no sign of Kakashi, Naruto grew more anxious. Sakura held out her hand and the two of them came to a stop.

"What is it?"

"I think it's Kakashi-Sensei," Sakura said. She pointed to her left, and the two of them made their way through the forest in the direction she had indicated. The pair leapt down from the trees as they reached a clearing. An odd shape was protruding from the ground on the opposite end. As they came closer, they could make out the upper body of their teacher.

"Oh man!" Naruto exclaimed. "Kakashi-Sensei … the blast must have ... torn him to pieces!" he choked out between sobs.

"You're such an idiot!" Sakura roared. Naruto turned to look at her, confused.

"Look at the ground around him!" Sakura pointed, and Naruto noticed a strange, wave-like pattern in the soil.

"It must be a type of earth-style jutsu! He's being held in there by someone!"

A deep voice rang out from the darkness. "Very good! Very good!"

Naruto and Sakura tensed as they tried to sense its origin.

"Remind me, Ryūsa, which is the one we have to keep alive again?" A different voice spoke now — a woman, by the sound of it.

"We need the kid with the yellow hair as bait; we can dispose of the girl," the deep voice said.

The voice of the one called Ryūsa was loud and gruff, but pinpointing the speaker's location was a lot harder than Naruto thought it should be considering how close he was.

"Ooh do let me kill the girl, Ryūsa!" the woman said. "She looks like fun …"

"Ha! I'm not sure if you'll get a chance, Tōshō. I think I might already have it covered."

Sakura let out gasp, and Naruto turned to see her feet sinking into the ground. He looked down and noticed that his feet were already completely encased in the soft earth. He went to pull his foot out, but found that the earth clung stubbornly to his leg.

 _Crap crap crap crap crap!_

Naruto looked around wildly to try to find something to grab onto. His eyes fell on a tree branch about 20 feet above them.

"Shadow clone jutsu!"

Naruto's shadow clones popped into existence, one right after the other, standing on each other's shoulders up to the tree branch. Naruto reached for Sakura's hand.

"Grab on!"

Sakura grabbed his arm as a few clones on top of the branch began to pull. Within a few seconds the two were pulled free with a "pop!"

Sakura and Naruto climbed up the human ladder to the top of the branch, his clones disappearing as they did so. Sakura swiftly reached into her pouch to grab her kunai.

"Naruto, we're going to need to stay in the trees," she said. "Getting anywhere on the ground will leave us wide open to his jutsu."

"Right."

The two snapped to attention as a faint whizzing sound grew louder through the trees. They leapt apart just as a series of ice shards pierced the tree behind the spot they had been crouching.

Just as Naruto landed on the neighboring tree, he felt the branch jerk under him as the entire tree began to sink into the ground.

"I guess this will take some more effort than I planned," the deep voice said.

Two figures emerged from the tree line below Naruto. One was a short man in plain grey robes; black hair jetted out from around a plain white mask accented with a large blue stripe across the mouth. The taller figure next to him appeared to be a woman wearing a black jumpsuit and blue flak jacket. Her dark blue hair formed wave-like patterns as it fell around her mask, which matched her companion's.

"You handle the girl," the man said. "I don't want you killing this one."

"Oh Ryūsa, you really know how to spoil me!"

The woman disappeared in a flash. Naruto moved to go after her, but had to regain his balance as the tree lurched violently toward the ground.

"You probably won't believe me, but consider yourself lucky that I'm the one you're dealing with," the man said. "Tōshō has a lot less restraint!"

The man stomped down, causing a crack to form in the earth before his foot. In a flash the crack split the earth in front of him in two, causing the tree to come crashing to the ground. Naruto came tumbling from the branches, landing on all fours in the dirt. He moved to get up, but found that his hands and feet were already caught in the same quicksand as before. Ryūsa moved to stand in front of him and crossed his arms.

"Alright, let's not make this a pain, okay? We're just going to wait right here until my friend gets back, then we're taking off. This can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be, kid."

"Well, then I guess we'll do this the hard way!"

Ryūsa's head snapped up as Naruto crashed through the branches of the fallen tree. He stepped on the back of his shadow clone on the ground and propelled himself upward to hit Ryūsa with a right hook across the jaw, shattering his mask on the lower left side of his face. He kicked off the man's chest to land with his feet firmly planted against the side of a nearby tree, and jumped again to land another punch, but was blocked by a rock wall that shot out of the ground between them. He kicked off the wall to land within the branches of another tree. The wall Ryūsa had erected was small, only about six feet tall and two feet wide.

 _If all I have to do is get around that without touching the ground, this will be a piece of cake!_

"Shadow clone jutsu!"

Naruto and his shadow clones leapt from the trees toward Ryūsa. As they attempted to throw punches, they were blocked one after the other by the wall that popped in and out of the dirt around him. Even throwing kunai and stars didn't seem to work as they bounced feebly off the side. Ryūsa's hands were a blur of movement as he weaved signs to block Naruto's every attempt. Exhausted, Naruto and his clones drew back into the trees. He wiped some of the blood that had appeared on his knuckles along the front of his pants.

"I might be outnumbered," the man said, "but it looks like you're outmatched, kid."

Naruto could see a smirk on the man's face where the rest of the mask had once been.

"I can infuse the very earth around me with my chakra," he said, "making it practically an extension of myself. This wall here may not look like much, but I have enough chakra in it to make it about as strong as a ten-foot-thick slab of steel and block anything you try to throw at me. So I'm going to be a nice guy and give you another chance to cooperate. Either that, or we keep playing cat and mouse until I take all of your clones down one by one and you're too exhausted to move."

 _One by one_...

Naruto's attention was caught by a kunai stuck in the dirt a few feet from Ryūsa. A strip of grey cloth had been caught up in the blade. Ryūsa's wall had blocked all of his attacks, but that kunai had been able to get through.

 _One by one, huh?_

"Everyone spread out!" Naruto shouted. "We're going to attack him all at the same time!"

Ryūsa froze. When it came to moving his wall, his reaction time was nearly instantaneous. The kid had taken him by surprise earlier when he cuffed his jaw, but he wasn't acting so carelessly now that he knew what the kid was capable of. The problem was that the wall could only be in one place at a time – he wouldn't be able to block a simultaneous attack from more than one direction. He could create a larger wall if he spread out his chakra, but doing so would weaken it, and the kid's surprising amount of strength might break through the barrier.

"Let's … Go!"

Half a dozen Narutos, all in perfect sync, leapt from the trees. As they hurtled toward Ryūsa, his feet suddenly began to sink into the ground.

 _It's not ideal, but I can hide out underground until—_

He gasped. He looked down to see a set of hands wrapped around his legs. Another Naruto popped his head out of the sand and grinned.

 _When did he …?_

"Rasengan!"

He looked up just as Naruto's clones parted to reveal the real Naruto wielding a rasengan. Ryūsa's arms were grabbed by a clone on each side as Naruto made contact with his chest. There was a flash of light, and then a loud crash as Ryūsa's body hit a tree on the other end of the clearing. He lay slumped against the trunk, unmoving.

Naruto exhaled as his shadow clones disappeared. He was lucky that his opponent had such an apparent weakness. He noticed that Ryūsa could only project his chakra in one direction after he materialized his wall. His clone that had previously been stuck in the quicksand was able to pull himself out once Ryūsa's attention was off him. He also noticed that Kakashi, who had previously been stuck in the sand up to his elbows, was now lying on the ground at the other end of the clearing. He used this knowledge to keep Ryūsa distracted while his clone went to hide in the one place Naruto knew he wouldn't expect — underground. When he told his clones to spread out, he kept one to help him form the rasengan, and then stayed behind for a few seconds while the others attacked. Making contact with the rasengan was, luckily, all that was needed to end the fight.

After a moment of observing Ryūsa, Naruto was certain that he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. He turned around and went rigid when he saw a woman kneeling next to Kakashi. Her mask was gone, but Naruto was certain that it was the woman they had encountered earlier. Her appearance was disheveled, but she sported a crazed grin as she held a large ice dagger up to Kakashi's throat. Naruto stared at her, suddenly panicked.

 _Sakura …_


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh Ryūsa, you really know how to spoil me!"

The woman, Tōshō, was on top of Sakura in a flash. Sakura barely had time to react as the woman hit her with a barrage of blows from all directions. Sakura retreated into the tree branches in an attempt to gain some time to assess her opponent. Tōshō was clearly skilled at taijutsu, but she at least seemed to be at a level that Sakura could keep up with. She had only been training with Tsunade for a few short months, but Sakura was confident that she could handle her opponent in hand-to-hand combat. On top of that, she knew Naruto would make quick work of the man Ryūsa as long as he didn't do anything stupid. As much of an idiot as Naruto was outside of combat, he at least seemed to gain a surprising level of competency in situations like this.

 _If I'm lucky he can back me up if I can't beat her quickly_ , she thought. _I need to finish this as soon as possible to get to Kakashi-Sensei._

Sakura whipped out a kunai for each hand and rushed Tōshō. The woman blocked her first few attacks with ease. Tōshō laughed, and the sound reverberated eerily through her mask as they fought. Sakura smirked and landed a sharp blow to her ribs with her left knee. Tōshō gasped and fell back to another branch. Sakura rushed her again, and this time her attacks began to make contact. She had analyzed Tōshō's movements and had a good grasp on how to counter the woman's fighting style.

Sakura was caught by surprise by a sudden head-butt from Tōshō and had to fight to keep her balance within the trees. Tōshō jumped back and weaved a series of signs before clasping her hands together.

"Ice-style: glacial gauntlets!"

Ice crystals appeared on Tōshō's hands and continued to spread until her arms up to her elbows were encased in ice. She pulled her arms apart with a shout, and a spray of glittering shards flew out from her hands.

"Stunning, aren't they?" she cooed as she ran her hands over the slick ice on her forearms.

"I'm sure you're thinking, 'how in the world could these possibly become more gorgeous?' But I must say —"

She threw her right arm out to strike the trunk of the tree beside her. Sakura shielded her face as countless splinters hurtled past. When she lowered her arms she could see that the tree looked like it had been struck by a small explosive.

"As beautiful as these gauntlets are glassy and new," Tōshō continued, "There's nothing like polishing them with an enemy's blood to really make them shine!"

Sakura grimaced.

 _Forget breaking a rib. If she hits me with those she could easily break every bone in my body!_

Tōshō leapt forward with her right fist raised. Sakura jumped back at the last second as the branch below them flew apart from the impact. Sakura dodged every subsequent strike, but she was unable to counter for fear of being hit. She used the debris from another missed swipe as cover to hide behind a particularly large trunk. She attempted to catch her breath amid the sounds of Tōshō angrily tearing apart the treetops.

 _I need to do something about those gauntlets. I don't stand a chance otherwise._

Sakura breathed deeply and began to think. Her eyes snapped open.

With a blast Tōshō launched up through the tree branch Sakura had taken refuge on. Sakura cried out as the gauntlet grazed her leg and she fell onto the forest floor below. She attempted to stand, and winced from the pain shooting through her left leg. She shakily pulled herself up using a nearby tree trunk.

Tōshō suddenly grabbed Sakura from behind, pinning her arms to her side as she began to squeeze.

"You didn't cause me as much pleasure as I had hoped," Tōshō snickered.

Sakura cried out in pain as Tōshō's clutch grew tighter.

"Oh well," she sighed. "Maybe Ryūsa will change his mind and let me kill your friend back there. Oh, I'm sure the boss would punish me; but I crave any kind of attention from him, so I won't mind."

A loud crack emitted from Sakura's body. In a puff of smoke her body transformed into a log.

"Huh?"

The log exploded, temporarily illuminating the dark forest and the shadow where Sakura had been hiding.

 _That's what you get for messing with me, you psycho!_

Sakura got up and limped toward Tōshō's unconscious body. Little was left of the ice gauntlets save for a few puddles around the explosion site. It was unfortunate that Sakura hadn't come up with her plan a few seconds sooner; she may have been able to avoid having her leg broken. But she did have enough time to pull out her explosive tags and lay her trap for Tōshō without raising any suspicion.

She reached down to grab Tōshō and gasped as her hand broke through the woman's wrist. Cracks began to form up Tōshō's arm, and her entire body collapsed into a pile of ice shards. Sakura swiftly looked up and around the forest. She couldn't sense any presence from Tōshō.

 _Dammit! I was getting so ahead of myself I didn't see when she used the substitution. I think I got her with the blast at least. If I hurt her enough for her retreat, I'm sure she would go back to her partner for support._

Using gauze from her kit and some nearby sticks she quickly pulled together a makeshift splint for her leg. She admitted to herself that it was shoddy work, but she needed to conserve as much of her chakra as possible at this point.

 _I don't know how much help I'll be now, but I can't let Naruto fight the two of them alone._

.

* * *

.

"If you want to play the hero, why don't you come a little closer?" the woman shouted. "I'm sure it would be quite amusing!"

Naruto took a step forward.

"Stop!"

Naruto turned to see Sakura standing at the edge of the tree line. She hobbled over to him using a branch as a walking stick.

"Sakura!"

His look of relief turned to concern as he noticed her leg. "Don't worry, I'm about to take her down just like that Ryūsa guy. I can get to her before she can do anything, just you watch—"

"Don't move, you dummy!"

"Huh?"

Panting, Sakura met up with Naruto and pointed at Tōshō.

"What? I don't—"

Naruto frowned at the air surrounding Tōshō and Kakashi. A halo of dust-like substance seemed to be floating in a ring about them, shimmering in the moonlight. Naruto could faintly sense chakra coming from the powder. He reached out and put his pointer finger in the halo. He gasped in pain and pulled back his hand. The tip of his finger had turned cold and purple.

Sakura looked like she was about to chastise him when their attention was caught by Tōshō's laughing hysterically.

"Oh it's wonderful, isn't it? It freezes whatever it touches in an instant! One breath and your lungs will be frozen solid!" Although she was laughing, her eyes stayed wide and motionless on the two of them. "This way you can't kill me!"

"And this way," she raised the dagger closer to Kakashi's neck, "This way … You can't run for help either."

Naruto grunted, clenching his fists.

"Ryūsa will be back with our master soon ..." Tōshō said slyly.

Naruto turned around and let out a frustrated shout when he noticed that Ryūsa was no longer slumped against the tree.

"We'll be in trouble since we were supposed to handle this on our own."

Tōshō began to absentmindedly run the dagger across Kakashi's throat, lightly drawing blood. "But I don't think he'll punish us too severely. He's actually very kind, our master. He'll probably —"

Tōshō stopped dead, staring behind them. The pair turned to see a figure walk out of the trees. It was a woman dressed in a plain white shirt and tan pants, with a long green jacket. She had long hair that reflected the moonlight, but Naruto wasn't able to make out much more in the dark. She walked up to Sakura and himself, but didn't take her eyes off of Tōshō.

"Wait, stop!" Sakura cried as the woman walked into the halo.

Naruto instinctively reached out grab her but stopped in amazement. The woman walked directly through the powder without changing stride.

"You're not supposed to be here!" Tōshō shrieked.

She scrambled back, dropping Kakashi and lifted her dagger in defense. The woman exited the halo into the safe area in the middle and stopped.

"I can't kill you! He would kill me if I killed you! But you're the one … the one that I can't … That I really, really can't …"

Tōshō was shaking now. She brought one hand to her mouth and bit her finger, drawing blood. Naruto was having a hard time telling if the woman was terrified or excited beyond belief.

"My master is a kind man. Surely he will forgive me. Surely he'll let me indulge myself, just this once!"

Tōshō shot forward with her outstretched dagger. The woman sidestepped her so quickly that to Naruto it almost looked as if the knife went right through her. With a sickening smile Tōshō flew into the halo. At first it seemed like it had no effect and that she would continue to hurl herself toward Naruto and Sakura. However, a few feet out her body fell like a stone and shattered into pieces in the dirt. Sakura clapped her hands over her mouth and turned away. Naruto noticed that the powder in the air faded, then vanished. He grabbed Sakura and the two of them stumbled to Kakashi's side. The woman with the long hair had bent down and was gingerly turning him face up.

"K-Kakashi?" she gasped.


	4. Chapter 4

"Stop moving me around so much!" Sakura whined.

"Sorry …"

Naruto sighed. He wasn't tall enough to carry Kakashi, so he was stuck carrying Sakura piggy-back style instead. He had been pretty pumped about it at first, but that feeling turned sour once Sakura began to complain every few minutes. He looked over at the woman, Yuiko, who was carrying an unconscious Kakashi with seemingly much less effort. She had kept watch over the two of them as Sakura administered aid to Kakashi earlier in the clearing where they had battled Ryūsa and Tōshō. The minute Sakura said that she thought Kakashi was okay to move, Yuiko had scooped him up and told the two of them to come with her as quickly as possible. They had stayed away from the main road and instead walked along a small hunting trail running alongside a river. The sun had finally come up and the forest was beginning to look a lot less threatening than it had the night before. Naruto sped up a bit to walk alongside the woman.

"Uh, hey, Yuiko?" he said. "Is that right?"

She turned to look at him and nodded. Her violet eyes shone out from behind her bangs. Her long hair was a light purple color; two shoots of hair stood up from her scalp behind her bangs which to Naruto almost made it look like she had little horns. She looked to be an adult around Kakashi's age, considering her height.

"Why are you staring at her?" Sakura snapped.

"I'm not! I uh …" Naruto looked down at his feet. "I was just thinking about how we haven't introduced ourselves yet! Yeah!"

"Right …" Sakura said snidely.

She cleared her throat and sat up straight, forcing Naruto to bend down. "My name is Sakura Haruno. This idiot here is Naruto Uzumaki."

"We're shinobi of Konoha, if you haven't already noticed," Naruto said as he pointed excitedly to his headband.

Sakura wobbled dangerously on his back before wrapping her arms around his neck to gain balance. The two of them squabbled for a minute as Naruto regained his ability to breathe and Sakura lectured him about not dropping her. They looked up to notice Yuiko staring at them. She quickly turned away and began walking up the path.

"Look what you did Naruto! She probably thinks we're freaks now!"

 _We kind of are …_ Naruto thought as they walked along.

After a short while the trail turned away from the river and they came to a stop. Yuiko gently placed Kakashi on the ground, then quickly formed a number of hand signs. She placed her right hand out into the air in front of them, and the air seemed to shine and ripple for a second before returning to normal. She put Kakashi on her back and motioned for them to continue. They walked through the spot, and after a short amount of time a small house was visible in a clearing. They went inside, and Naruto noticed the scarcity of, well, everything. The house had a living room with a table and some tatami mats, a kitchen with a small fireplace, and to the side a bedroom with a single bedroll and a set of drawers. Yuiko carried Kakashi to the bedroom and laid him out on the bedroll. Sakura went to attend Kakashi, and Yuiko went into the kitchen and began to make tea. Naruto sat down at the table and rested his head in his hands. With a start, he looked up as Yuiko placed a cup of tea and a few misshapen rice balls in front of him.

"Um, for you," she said with a nervous smile.

"Uh, yeah, thanks."

He hadn't even noticed dozing off. He was a lot more tired than he thought. He looked over to see Sakura curled up on a tatami mat in the corner. Her splint had been removed.

"Your friend," Yuiko said, looking back and forth between Sakura and himself. "She … It's impressive. How she could mend the break herself. It is, right?"

Naruto nodded in agreement as he washed down the rice with some tea. When he finished he noticed Yuiko staring at him again. He shifted uncomfortably and looked around the room.

"So … You're a shinobi or something, right? You said you knew Kakashi-Sensei back there. Why are you living out here all by yourself?"

"Uh … well ... I was a shinobi a long time ago. And he's Kakashi of the sharingan, right? He's kind of well known, so of course I know who he is … and you …"

Yuiko seemed to be getting more and more flustered as she spoke. "You're the one that the bridge is named after, right?"

"Um, yeah. Are you alright …?"

"Of course! There's no reason I wouldn't be!"

She stood abruptly with their cups and took them to the barrel of water she kept near the fireplace. Naruto watched baffled as she washed the cups with gusto. She returned to the table, seemingly more composed than before. "You grew up in Konoha, right? Do you … like it there?"

Naruto chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I mean, sure. I grew up alone so—"

"What?"

"Eh?"

Naruto's smile wavered as he noticed Yuiko's hands digging into the wood as she gripped the edge of the table. She noticed his gaze, quickly pulling her hands into her lap. "Sorry. I mean, it must have been very hard growing up alone. There was really no one there to look after you?"

"Nah, just me for the most part. But ..."

He looked over at Sakura and smiled. "When I joined a team, things got much better. Kakashi-Sensei taught me a lot. I was pretty pig-headed at first ... But I've done a lot of awesome things since then! I'm still a genin, but I know I'm going to make chūnin next time around! I mean, I'm going to be Hokage someday, so I kind of have to. Yeah next time around with me and Sakura and Sas—"

Naruto stopped and looked down at the table. Yukio lowered her head to catch his gaze.

"Your teammate. Did he …?"

Naruto shook his head. "No. He just … decided to leave. But, I'm going to bring him back."

Naruto looked up and saw that the woman mirrored his pained expression. Yuiko rose from the table.

"You should get some rest. I have a feeling that your sensei will want you to leave after he wakes up. You being here isn't safe."

Naruto began to rise from the table when a thought hit him. "Wait! We can't go! There was a man, Mr. Ito, that we were escorting to the village nearby! Oh man I can't believe I almost forgot … I better go and look—"

Yuiko placed her hand on his shoulder. "The people who attacked you were very dangerous. I have a hunch that they were coming after you, right?"

"Uh huh," Naruto responded.

Yuiko's sudden shift in attitude frightened him a little. When she looked at him, her eyes seemed much more focused, as if she had been in a daze before.

She studied him for a minute before removing her hand from his shoulder. "Please get some rest. Once your sensei gains consciousness I will go out and look for this man. Please."

Naruto nodded and pulled out a bedroll from his pack. He rolled over to face the wall, listening as Yuiko's footsteps faded into the next room. The way she had been staring at him earlier was a little unsettling. It was like she was expecting him to give her something, but he had no idea what. And those people that had attacked him … why were they after him? They didn't appear to be Akatsuki ... Maybe they were working for them?

The questions rolled over and over in Naruto's head until he ultimately fell asleep.

—

In the next room Yuiko knelt by Kakashi. Sakura had said that she had been able to mend the broken collarbone and that for the most part Kakashi seemed okay, aside from a small concussion.

It was almost comical to Yuiko how much he looked the same after 13 years. She had been able to recognize him instantly.

 _I really hope he doesn't try to kill me when he wakes up._

Yuiko shook her head to banish the thought. She stood up and started to leave the room. Maybe it would be better after all if she left. She trusted that Kakashi would be competent enough to get them back to Konoha while avoiding any more trouble now that he had an idea of what was out there. Then she would disappear, and —

"Yuiko?"

 _Oh, shit._


	5. Chapter 5

Yuiko turned slowly to face Kakashi. The two of them stared at each other for what felt like an eternity to Kakashi and approximately 2 minutes to Yuiko. A million thoughts raced through Kakashi's head, but the one taking top priority concerned his students.

"Naruto and Sakura! Where are —?"

"Kakashi-Sensei!"

Sakura popped around the door, quickly crossing the room to embrace him. "You're awake much sooner than I thought you would be, based on what I read about concussions!"

Kakashi looked out the bedroom door. From there he could see the form of Naruto sprawled on the floor, a trail of drool making its way down his cheek as he slept. Kakashi's posture fell into a familiar slouch as he looked back as Sakura. "What happened?"

"Well, I'm not _entirely_ sure," she said uneasily.

Sakura recounted the events from her perspective and what Naruto had told her on the walk. Kakashi glanced at Yuiko as Sakura outlined her fight with Tōshō in the ice halo. Yuiko very pointedly stared out the window.

"... and we don't know where Mr. Ito is," Sakura said sadly.

Kakashi studied Sakura's face and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. She had used up a lot of chakra to treat his wounds, let alone her leg, and it was starting to show.

"Go get some rest. I'll think up of an action plan in the meantime."

Sakura nodded and made her way to the other room.

"Close the door behind you, please."

Sakura turned back to Kakashi, concerned.

"We just need to have a friendly chat, that's all," he said cheerily.

Sakura frowned, but slid the door closed behind her.

Kakashi turned back to Yuiko and was taken aback to see her head bowed and tears beginning to flow down her cheeks.

"Thank —thank you," she whispered. She raised her eyes to meet his. "Thank you for making sure he's not alone."

.

* * *

.

Kakashi stood alone in the Hokage's office. Summer sunlight beat in through the massive windows, making the room sweltering. Sweat dripped down the side of his face along the outline of his Anbu mask. He noticed various plants along the windowsill were starting to droop from the heat and lack of water.

"Sorry I'm late!"

Minato Namikaze rushed into the room and dropped a large stack of papers on his desk. "That's all for the academy expansion! Or was it the hospital … Oh man, I hoped I grabbed the right papers …"

The fourth Hokage sat down heavily and smiled. "You can take off the mask, I'm sure it's not very comfortable in here."

"Of course, Lord Hokage."

Kakashi removed his Anbu mask and waited.

Minato looked at him with a mixture of pity and concern. Kakashi's chest grew tight. He took a few deep breaths to control his sudden flash of anger at his former sensei.

"Please, no 'Lord.' Just Minato. Like always."

He smiled at Kakashi again as he rooted around for something on his desk.

"Here we go!" he said, pulling out a folder, "I have a new assignment for you. A … non-Anbu related assignment."

Kakashi furrowed his brow. "Does this have to do with my performance? The objectives in all of my missions have been completed."

"No! No! That's not it! This one is more a favor ... for me."

Minato looked again at his last remaining student with concern. Kakashi had been isolating himself more and more since losing his teammate, Rin. Obito's death had been hard enough, but losing Rin as well seemed to be the breaking point. Minato had hoped that the Anbu Black Ops would help to take Kakashi's mind off of them, but the assignment only seemed to be supporting Kakashi's growing coldness and brutality. Finally, Minato had been driven to the only other person he could think of that could possibly help.

' _Perhaps another assignment'_ , the third Hokage had said. _'Something that would help him to focus more on life than death. More on the future of the village, and less on the past. Perhaps that would help him to move forward ...'_

Minato reached over the desk to hand Kakashi two folders. Kakashi opened the first one to see it was a basic academy file, much like the one he had when he became a genin.

"We have two transfer students graduating early from the academy," Minato said. "As you know, we're still struggling with a shortage on jōnin, so I don't see the point in holding them at the academy any longer if they're ready to advance. For the same reason, we're low on jōnin who have volunteered to take on teams of genin."

Minato waited for a reaction from Kakashi. When one didn't come, he continued.

"You will be acting simultaneously as both their teacher and their third team member. You'll help to mold their skills as a shinobi and give them direction and light support in enough D- and C-ranked missions for them to qualify for the chūnin exams. They'll most likely have to take the exams in a two-man team, but considering their skills I don't think that would qualify as much of a disadvantage."

Minato waited in silence as Kakashi finished scanning through the two folders.

Kakashi closed the last folder with a snap. This assignment was the absolute last thing he could imagine doing. But turning down an explicit assignment from the Hokage wasn't an option. At least not directly.

"These two genin … What if they're not up to _my_ standards?"

Minato smirked. "Well, as Hokage I would say that you do need to be fair and have realistic expectations for what a genin should be capable of. As your former teacher I would say that I think you know what it takes to make a strong team. If you truly feel that they're not up to it, then I will respect your decision and send them back to the academy."

—

"Oh man ... how long have we been waiting here?!"

"Approximately one hour and twenty minutes."

"Are you serious? It's going to be lunch time soon. I told Aiko that I was going to treat her today. Man, she's never going to go out with me again if I miss this one."

"I thought it was Hideko you were seeing today?"

"... Oh crap, I think you're right."

Kakashi walked into the clearing of the training yard. The two genin, a boy and a girl, turned to face him. The girl had violet eyes and light purple hair pulled back into a tight bun. The boy had bright blue eyes and shaggy brown hair.

"Oh, hey!"

The boy jogged up to Kakashi. "Hey have you seen a jōnin wandering around here? We were told to wait here for our instructor, but he hasn't shown up yet."

"That would be me."

The boy laughed and clapped Kakashi hard on the shoulder. "You're funny, man! Have we met? I think I'd remember seeing you around the academy."

Kakashi sighed and moved past the boy toward the girl waiting by the target posts. "If the two of you want to be confirmed as genin and not be sent back to the academy, you will need to pass my test. You have one hour to —"

"Aww, come on, man. It was funny at first, but now the jokes gettin' kinda stale, ya know?"

Kakashi regarded the boy coldly.

"Noboru," the girl said calmly, "show our teacher more respect."

"Not you too! Look at him! He's the same age as us! He's even _shorter_ than me! There is no way this guy is already a jōnin."

"Well, if that's what you think," Kakashi said, "then you should be able to pass the test no problem, right?"

The boy Noboru regarded the question for a moment. "Alright. Even if you are messing with me, then at the very least we can get in some practice while we wait. So what's the 'test' you have up your sleeve?"

Kakashi pulled a single bell tied to a string from his pocket. "The objective is to get this bell from me in one hour. The one to get the bell passes and moves on. The other fails. Or, you may both fail if neither of you get the bell."

The three stood in silence for a moment before Noboru burst out laughing. "You — you're serious? You really think something that transparent will work? I mean, come on — we would have to be idiots to think this is anything other than a ploy to turn us against each other. You're trying to see our problem-solving skills as a unit and if we work well enough as a team to finish an objective. So ultimately this test is meaningless if we already possess the needed skills, which you already know we do since we graduated, and if we already work well as a team, which we do. Right, Yuiko?"

The girl nodded.

Kakashi placed the bell back into his pocket. Without a word he turned and began to walk away.

"Hey! Hey, wait a minute!" Noboru said, flustered, "Come on, I was just messing with you. Give us a break. Maybe some kind of test that's a little less patronizing, huh?"

Kakashi stopped and turned his head to the side. "So, something a little more challenging?"

"Yeah! You got it! I don't mean to brag, but … we're pretty good."

Kakashi turned back to face them. "Alright. How about this: All you need to do is hit me anywhere on my body except for my arms. I'll only use taijutsu to defend myself, but the two of you can use whatever kind of jutsu you want. No holds barred."

Noboru laughed awkwardly. "Wait … How is this less patronizing than the bell test?"

"Well you see, in the bell test I'm open to using more jutsu, but I obviously have to hold back in order for you to have any hope of getting a bell. And like you said before, even if neither of you got the bell but exhibited good teamwork, I would still be inclined to pass you. However, in this test, even though I'm limited to only taijutsu, I will be going all-out. And I don't mean to brag, but … I'm pretty good."

The smile on Noboru's face slowly vanished.

"Plus," Kakashi added, "I will only pass you if you hit me. I'll give you some extra time to pass this test, but if you can't land a blow within two hours, then you fail. No exceptions."

Noboru turned to glance at Yuiko.

"Don't look at me like that!" he exclaimed, "You agreed that the bell test was stupid, right?"

Yuiko shrugged. Noboru sighed, but looked back at Kakashi with a snide expression.

"Alright then, let's do it. Everything we've got, huh?"

"Everything you've got."


	6. Chapter 6

Kakashi simultaneously dodged Noboru's punch directed at his face and Yuiko's kick toward his shin. As he twisted through the air he couldn't help but feel roused at their teamwork. The Formations textbook at the academy didn't have a lot of formations based on two-man teams, considering they usually only came into play if you lost a team member. But it appeared that the pair had still memorized them all and were using them at their best capacity to try to distract Kakashi in one way or another. It was almost cruel that Kakashi was already aware of all the formations and how to counter them. Having two-, three-, or even four-on-one training battles was common in the Anbu Black Ops. Naturally, Kakashi excelled in them all. He wasn't limited to only taijutsu in those, though, so he found that this challenge that he had made for himself was beginning to be particularly amusing.

"Weapons Creation Jutsu: Singing Shield!"

 _Here we go_ , Kakashi thought.

 _Noboru Takahashi, 13 years old. Transferred from Kagayaku Hōseki village. Grew up in a wealthy merchant family, but began shinobi training at the age of 8 after his village was affected by the second shinobi war. His ninjutsu is quite unique — he is able to create material objects out of chakra. Many shinobi use chakra-enabled weapons, but very few can create them out of thin air using only chakra energy. This gives him the advantage of having an almost unlimited variety of weapons available for any combat situation. On the other hand, this technique can be more than a little draining on his chakra reserves._

Noboru shot toward Kakashi, his large shield raised at his face. Kakashi crossed his arms and blocked the blow, causing the shield to emit a loud, gong-like 'clang.' Yuiko suddenly appeared from under the shield and leapt upward. Kakashi suspected that this would be their tactic, considering the size of the shield, but he was impressed nonetheless. He moved his left arm to block her fist, but found that her hand was moving _through_ it.

 _Yuiko Uzumaki (no close relation to Kushina Uzumaki), 13 years old. Her file didn't include much on her past beyond the fact that she traveled with her grandfather prior to coming to live in Konoha three months ago, soon after his death. She is considered to be proficient in fūinjutsu (sealing jutsu), a trademark of the Uzumaki clan. She also possesses a unique skill whereby she can 'phase' through other objects by merging her chakra with the chakra of the other object. This is easier with inanimate objects, and much more challenging with living creatures. It becomes even more demanding if her opponent creates a barrier by varying the flow of chakra through their body. In the end, she can only phase through an object for a short amount of time before reaching her limit._

Kakashi whipped his head back, kicking off Noboru's shield to land a few feet back. He was astonished to find that he was actually enjoying himself. He hadn't had this much fun in combat since —

 _Obito. Rin._

He stood and watched the two of them running toward him. Obito adjusting his goggles. Rin smiling from ear to ear. They leapt up in the air as they came closer. In almost slow motion, Kakashi watched as their feet connected with his chest and he was thrown back.

—

"He's dead. He's dead, right? We killed him. I can't believe this. I mean, I thought it was a trap for sure. He just stood there! I thought he was going to move, or grab us, or something!"

"He's okay. He just got the wind-chakra knocked out of him. That's what my grandfather used to say. Look."

Kakashi stirred and opened his eye. Yuiko and Noboru were crouched on either side of his vision, looking down at him as he lay in the grass.

Noboru let out a huge sigh of relief and fell back into the grass himself. "You scared the crap out of me! For a minute I thought that maybe you really were pulling our leg about being a jōnin. What the hell was that anyway?"

Kakashi used his elbows to push himself up into a sitting position. He studied the concern on their faces. Their expression was different than Minato's; they didn't pity him. They didn't see him as anything less than he used to be.

 _Am I really doing this?_

Kakashi reached up to move his headband away from his left eye. Noboru's mouth opened at the sight of his sharingan

"Why didn't you do that before?! I would have believed you about you being the jōnin if you had showed me that …" Noboru pouted.

Yuiko chuckled as she regarded Noboru with a smile. Kakashi replaced his headband and stood up. The other two followed suit.

"Your training starts tomorrow at seven. Don't be late."

A smile grew on Noboru's face as the realization hit him. "Aww yeah, I knew we could do it! This is awesome! We're gonna be team ... uh, what was your name again?"

.

* * *

.

"I'm impressed. Everything seemed to go quite smoothly," the Hokage said.

Kakashi nodded in agreement. For once it was taking every ounce of his will to appear calm and collected. The awards ceremony was only an hour away, which is why he was surprised when he received a summons from the Hokage.

Minato reclined at his desk, lazily turning the pages on the proctor's notes concerning the Chūnin Exams.

 _He's honestly just playing with me at this point._

Almost as if he heard him, Minato looked up from the book and grinned. "I think it's pretty obvious that they passed, don't you?"

Kakashi sighed in relief. His team had worked hard over the past few months, and their progress had been exponential. During the one-on-one combat in the second half, both Yuiko and Noboru placed within the top five.

Noboru's arsenal of weapons seemed to be growing larger every day. Any time he met an opponent using a new tool, he had a perfected copy of it at his fingertips within hours. In his last battle of the exams, he had the upper hand up until he ran out of chakra. Noboru had a tendency to be overconfident in his abilities and push himself too far if he couldn't take down an opponent right away. Even so, he was still in good spirits at the end of his match.

Yuiko had almost placed first in the final round of one-on-one combat. During her first match she was able to use her phasing jutsu to ensure that her adversary couldn't land a single blow. Between that and her taijutsu she was nearly unstoppable. But there were still opponents who were able to figure out a workaround to her jutsu: She ended up losing to a member of the Hyūga clan who figured out that fluctuating the flow of chakra through their body blocked her from phasing through them. From there Yuiko had resorted to taking unnecessary risks to try to regain her advantage. She had a habit of attacking recklessly when she felt cornered — a practice that Kakashi had tried tirelessly to wean her from before the exam. Despite her improvements, she wasted her remaining chakra on some hasty seals that her opponent was able to break and was taken down. He hoped that the news of making Chūnin would brighten her mood a little since she had a tendency to brood over her failures for longer than necessary.

"So, what now?"

"Huh?"

Kakashi blinked, not realizing how much he had allowed his mind to wander. Minato was smiling at him expectantly from the other side of the desk.

"I mean, what is it you'd like to do now? Your mission has been completed. With flying colors, I might add."

Kakashi looked down at his feet. He frankly hadn't given it much thought. Going back to the Anbu was the most logical choice, considering his skills. But when he visualized putting the mask back on, all he could think of was being smothered in darkness, unable to breathe.

"I don't want to impose …" Minato said slyly.

Kakashi looked up as his former sensei spoke.

"But I think you've formed a pretty strong team. I personally would like for you to stay on as the team captain since I know I could utilize your group in various missions. However, I'm also aware that you have no obligation to do so if you wish to return to the Anbu."

Kakashi sighed, crossing his arms.

"Well, if you insist ..." he said in a reluctant tone. "They have a long way to go, anyway. I don't think they'd be able to get much farther in their training without me."

Minato laughed, forcing a smile out of Kakashi.


	7. Chapter 7

Kakashi sauntered down the streets of Konoha, his hands stuffed into his pockets. He hooked a right as he passed the park, entering the shady walkway. The paths were lined with short brick walls and benches, providing numerous places to lounge under the clusters of trees. The wind started to pick up, causing the tree branches to rustle gently as he walked beneath them. It was a soothing sound, and part of the reason why Kakashi had picked that particular path. He felt a little guilty for how long he was making his team wait for him at the training grounds, but he had become lost in his own thoughts when he stood in front of the memorial stone earlier that morning. He had never felt so conflicted before, spending his time there. His mind had the tendency to wander as he stood before the memorial stone; but his thoughts were interrupted by flashes of his teammates. Of his new teammates.

" _Hey man, got lost on the path of life again?"_ Noboru would joke, flashing a wide grin as he commented on Kakashi's habitual tardiness.

" _You should get a watch,"_ Yuiko would say dryly. She would duck her head down, grinning slightly to herself as she rode on the coattails of Noboru's playful tone.

It was a hard feeling for him to describe, spending time with them. He had been working with them for nearly two years now, and their genuine admiration for him made Kakashi feel like he could do anything with them by his side. Being connected to something — being a part of a team again — made him feel like a whole person. But thoughts about Obito and Rin would squirm their way into his mind, reminding him that he didn't deserve such treatment.

Kakashi lifted his head, closing his eyes as he took in the sound of the rustling trees.

 _I promise I won't forget about you two._

"What are you doing?"

Kakashi looked over at a nearby bench, startled. Yuiko sat with a book open in front of her, regarding him passively. Her presence was nearly undetectable, a quirk that Kakashi associated with her phasing ability. He was positive, though, that she hadn't been sitting there before he closed his eyes. His eye narrowed as he wondered how long she had been watching him.

"You're supposed to be at the training grounds," he said, annoyed that she caught him in a personal moment.

"What's the point?" she shrugged. "We couldn't get started without you, anyway."

Kakashi exhaled, walking past her. She caught up, matching his stride as they strolled down the path. Yuiko went back to her book, the two of them walking in silence as they exited the park. Yuiko shared his love for literature, although her taste was questionable at best. Kakashi held his tongue, but couldn't help himself as they turned onto the wide dirt road leading to the marketplace at the center of the village.

"Why are you reading that stupid thing?" Kakashi said, glancing at the gaudy cover of _Make-Out Paradise._

"Because I want to know how the story ends."

"And it doesn't bother you that it's complete nonsense?"

"It's better than the stories you read. I'd rather read something that doesn't make me want to throw myself into a river."

He couldn't help but smirk, turning away to hide the slight crinkle of his eye. He glanced back and watched as Yuiko gently folded over the corner of one of the pages before snapping the book shut. The once-glossy cover had become wrinkled and warped from being actively stuffed into Yuiko's gear pack. He found it amusing that she was so meticulous about earmarking the pages, yet showed little concern for the cover.

" _The cover isn't the important part,"_ he knew she would say.

"I'll lend this to you if you want," Yuiko said, holding the book out to him. "I've already read it twice."

"Yeah, I think I'll pass. And if you've already read it, then why did you say you want to know how it ends?"

"Oh, I was just being sarcastic. Did it work?"

"Uh ... sure," Kakashi said with a shrug. Yuiko's sense of humor was also questionable at best.

The two turned around at the sound of quickly approaching footsteps. They were swept up in a gale of dust as a figure flew past them and came to a stop in their path.

"Kakashi! Today is the day! Today is the day that I will draw upon my unending supply of valiant youth! The two of us will commence a contest for the ages! If you surmise that your bravery holds no bounds, then you must accept my challenge to —"

"Hi, Guy."

"Oh, Yuiko! I'm glad you're here! We'll need someone to take record of the events that are about to get underway! Without a witness to this monstrous eruption of youth, we would risk no one believing —"

"Not today, Guy," Kakashi said. "Maybe next time."

Might Guy noticeably deflated. Kakashi began to walk past him when he glanced over and saw the look of pity on Yuiko's face.

"Yuiko, we're supposed to be at the training grounds."

"You weren't in a hurry before," Yuiko said, gingerly patting the top of Guy's bowl cut. "I'll compete with you, Guy."

"Thank you, Yuiko," Guy said, straightening up. His brow furrowed as he attempted to put on a serious expression. "However, I am afraid I cannot accept your challenge. I'm sure you are a formidable opponent, but there is a long history of heated rivalry between Kakashi and myself that I cannot ignore. Putting aside our struggle for superiority for even a moment could cause me to lose the momentum I need in order to stay neck-and-neck with Kakashi's own advancements to best me in competition!"

"Hmm …" Yuiko said, crossing her arms. "In that case, I think I have an idea for a challenge."

Guy's face lit up, stars gleaming in his eyes as he looked hopefully over at Kakashi.

"You can't be serious," Kakashi said. "Why are you trying to bring me into this?"

"It's funny," Yuiko said with a shrug.

"Way to go, Yuiko!" Guy said, clapping her on the shoulder with one hand while he gave her a thumbs-up with the other. "Kakashi always ends up agreeing to my challenge when you're around!"

"Because the two of you won't let me go if I don't!" Kakashi said defensively. He sighed, regaining his composure. "Yuiko, we're keeping Noboru waiting."

"That's the challenge," Yuiko said, holding up a finger. "Whoever gets to Noboru first, wins."

Kakashi narrowed his eye as he regarded her neutral expression.

 _So she had an ulterior motive after all._ _She's using this as an excuse to get me over there sooner._

"Oh! A race, then?" Guy said enthusiastically. "You said before that you were headed to the training grounds, right? Which one?"

"Number 22," Yuiko said.

"Ah! That one's good and far! It's perfect!" Guy exclaimed, putting up his fists. "A most suitable challenge for us to showcase our explosive youth! I have no doubt in my mind that I will be the first one there! My training has been going well, Kakashi, and you'll see that even you can no longer hold a candle to my captivating speed!"

"Right," Kakashi said flatly.

"Ok then, on the count of three," Yuiko said. "One, two …"

Kakashi watched coolly as Guy took his stance. He smiled to himself, doing the same.

 _I guess I can't make it too easy on him._

"Three!"

The two disappeared in a flash. Kakashi was able to keep an eye on Guy easily enough, his green tunic clearly visible as he dashed over the rooftops. They were out of the main shopping district in a few blocks, the buildings growing farther apart as they reached a residential area. They hopped over the houses, the tree line marking the edge of the neighborhoods in sight. Kakashi pulled out a throwing star, quickly wrapping wire through it and tying a knot. He let off some slack, swinging the star around to gain momentum, and then let it fly, channeling his chakra through the wire as it approached Guy from behind. He used his chakra to alter the path of the star, manipulating it to circle a few times around Guy's legs before going taut, causing Guy's legs to snap together.

"Huh?! What's this?" Guy exclaimed as he fell through the air. Kakashi whipped out a kunai, cutting the wire free from his pouch.

"Oh? So you feel that you have to play dirty to beat me, huh?" Guy shouted, sounding amused as he landed gracefully in a handstand.

"There were no rules against it," Kakashi said frankly as he vanished into the tree line.

 _The least I can do is win this, since they forced me into it anyway._

He pooled chakra into his legs, amplifying the force of his muscles as he pushed off the tree branches. He flew through the trees in a blur, the occasional shinobi pausing from their training to regard him curiously before returning to their own business. He leapt into the center of training ground 22, which was littered with large boulders that had been dragged over from the nearby cliffside. Noboru didn't possess the same skill for masking his chakra that Yuiko had, so finding him wouldn't be a challenge. Doubt wriggled into Kakashi's mind, however, as he strode about the area, no one in sight.

"I did it!" Guy roared, emerging from a nearby bush. "You may have beat me here, Kakashi, but you didn't get to Noboru first!"

Guy smiled, pulling a figure out from the bush behind him. A frazzled looking shinobi that Kakashi didn't recognize looked between the two of them nervously.

"Guy, who is that?"

"What?" Guy exclaimed. "That's Noboru!"

Kakashi frowned, noting that the terrified boy with long blue hair didn't bear a strong resemblance to his teammate.

"I was in training ground 21," the boy said, his voice wavering. "... and he just grabbed me. You're Kakashi, right? Am I in trouble?"

"No, this was just a training exercise. Thank you for your assistance."

The boy's face lit up a bit at Kakashi's acknowledgment. He nodded firmly, giving Guy another nervous glance before scurrying from the clearing.

"How do you not remember what Noboru looks like?" Kakashi said in disbelief. Guy had always been bad with faces, but this was a little much.

"What about me?"

Noboru and Yuiko walked into the clearing, Yukio taking a bite of a sweet dumpling from the skewer in her hand.

 _She beat us? But how?_

Kakashi deflated a little as the thought hit him. How did he miss it earlier?

"You weren't here," he said, regarding Noboru.

"Aw come on, don't be mad about that," Noboru said a little defensively. "What, you expect us to just sit here forever waiting for you to show up?"

He smiled, putting his hand on Yuiko's shoulder. "I just hang out in town until Yukio tells me it's time to go. She's like a little alarm clock."

Yuiko nodded at Noboru's acknowledgement. "On average, you're an hour and 20 minutes late to training sessions," she said to Kakashi, pausing to bite off another dumpling. "I leave my house 40 minutes after training should have started, then wait until I see you enter the market. Then I go get Noboru, and we head over to the training grounds. You were later than usual today, which is why I backtracked your route through the park."

"We had a pretty good system going," Noboru said, putting his hands behind his head. "This is the first time you beat us here."

"But that's what Yuiko wanted," Kakashi said flatly.

Guy laughed. "Very tricky, Yuiko!" he said, flashing her a thumbs-up with a wink.

 _He's not even disappointed,_ Kakashi thought dryly.

"So, what do I win?" Yuiko asked.

"Ah, of course!" Guy yelled. "Your name gets added to the scoreboard: 28 wins for me, 27 for Kakashi, and 1 for you!"

"I'm pretty sure I'm at 29," Kakashi interjected.

"It's a great honor …" Guy continued, ignoring Kakashi's remark, "... to be ranked among the most renowned of your peers. You may be behind now, but with the proper training and perseverance, you might even catch up to us someday!"

Guy's teeth gleamed as he smiled broadly.

"Can I win something else?" Yukio asked flatly.

Guy flinched, but to his credit he kept his glowing expression.

"Well, since it is your very first win, I think we can offer a reward of your choosing!"

"That's good, since there's something you two can do for me," Yuiko said. She fiddled with the empty skewer, rolling it between her fingers before tossing it. Kakashi watched it stick into the dirt, slowly lifting his eye to meet Yuiko's.

 _This is bad._

—

Guy enthusiastically reached up to press the doorbell. After a few seconds a heavily pregnant Kushina Uzumaki answered the door. She put her hands together in delight at the sight of them. "Hey, you two! It's been such a long time! Are you here to see Minato?"

Guy smiled and gave a thumbs-up. "No ma'am! We're here to see you! We heard that you haven't been able to get out much lately, so we're here to assist you in your time of need!"

"Aww! The two of you are just so sweet. Please come in!"

Kakashi and Guy entered the apartment and sat down on a small couch. Kushina made her way to the kitchen and put on a kettle for tea. She had her back to them as she started to pull various snacks out of the fridge and cabinets.

"It can get so boring being cooped up at home! Normally Yuiko spends the evening chatting with me, ya know? I ask her every little detail about her day, since the doctor told me to stay off my feet as much as I can. Sometimes we stay up for hours and hours; it's so much fun! Oh, I hope she doesn't mind the intrusion! Anyway, how long has it been? A few weeks at the very least. The two of you will have to tell me _everything …_ "

Kakashi noticed movement to his left and looked over to see Yuiko emerge from the hallway. She slinked silently toward the front door.

"Of course we will, ma'am!" Guy proclaimed. "It's our mission to entertain you for as long as possible! In fact, I believe you will find my stories brimming with the excitement of youth and gut-wrenching drama that will keep you at the edge of your seat. They will be far superior to anything Kakashi could ever tell you, I'm sure!"

Kakashi kept his eye on Yuiko, who was now slowly closing the front door behind her.

"Oh my! Well, I'm looking forward to it. And I'm sure the two of you are just as curious to hear about how the pregnancy is coming along. I could go on for hours about the food cravings alone …"

Just as Yuiko was about the shut the door, she made eye contact with Kakashi, her face revealing no emotion. She put up her fingers, flashing the "victory" sign just as the door silently shut.

.

* * *

.

A warm breeze tousled Kakashi's hair. He leaned against the railing of the rooftop courtyard, looking down passively at the Konoha villagescape below. Flecks of black on the streets interrupted the usual scenery that bursted with color. He made to push himself away from the railing when a dash of smoke wafted past his face. He turned to see the third Hokage standing beside him. The old man appeared to be looking at the courtyard in the distance, where the village members were beginning to gather. The Hokage took another draw on his pipe and Kakashi's attention returned to the streets below.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi. I know that you were close to the both of them."

Another group of funeral goers passed by. It seemed that half of the village would be going to the ceremony.

"Have you already heard the news?" the Hokage asked.

There had been a briefing two days before about the incident. Kakashi had decided not to attend. He figured that someone would come looking for him sooner or later. That it was the Hokage who chose to track him down did leave him a bit surprised at first; but if the rumors were true, he could understand the old man's resolve to come himself.

The Hokage inhaled deeply on his pipe and exhaled a plume of smoke. "The knowledge was kept a secret mainly for political reasons. Both Minato and I agreed that keeping the fact that we possessed another jinchūriki between a select few was the best way to proceed. After his death, I felt upholding this agreement would do the greatest good for the village. I see now that things may have been different if we included you sooner."

A small breeze caught the smoke drifting from the tip of the Hokage's pipe, and Kakashi watched as it disappeared into the blue sky.

"We will need you to come in for questioning. You're not under suspicion, but you may hold some information that can help us piece together exactly what happened. I want you to hold off on taking any new missions for the next few weeks, so come in whenever you're ready."

He took one final puff of his pipe before dumping its contents over the railing. He gave Kakashi's shoulder a firm squeeze and turned away.

"Oh, I almost forgot."

He reached into his funeral robes and pulled out a small, leather-bound book. Kakashi analyzed it for a moment before taking it from the Hokage's outstretched hand. The two made eye contact for an instant before the Hokage turned and walked away.

In a flash, he was gone.

Kakashi stood there for some time longer, watching as the courtyard a few blocks away continued to fill with more and more people. After some time, the collective buzz of voices died down, and the voice of Lord Third could be heard echoing faintly through the streets. He turned his back to the scene and looked down at the freshly-bound Bingo Book. He began to flip through the pages one by one, studying the face of every rogue shinobi wanted for crimes against the various villages. He stopped as he reached the latest entry:

 _Uzumaki, Yuiko_

He lingered on her picture. He recognized it as the one she had taken after passing the chūnin exam. Below it was various information about her appearance and known abilities. His eye glanced over the information before reaching the bold text at the bottom.

 _ **Ordered for execution for crimes committed against the will of Konohagakure:**_

 _ **Theft of the forbidden Blood Scroll**_

 _ **Murder of Noboru Takahashi, a recognized shinobi of Konohagakure**_

 _ **S-Rank Criminal:**_

 _ **Last known jinchūriki of the five-tailed beast. Use extreme caution. Eliminate on sight.**_

The book hit the tile with a soft thud. Kakashi clutched his right hand to stop it from shaking. He took a deep breath and turned away to jump over the railing onto the ground below. He started to walk toward the courtyard, but changed course after a few steps. He had no clear destination in mind, but the idea of going to the funeral tied his stomach in knots.

 _A shinobi who breaks the rules is scum; but a shinobi who betrays their friends is worse than scum._

He clenched his fists in his pockets and continued aimlessly through the village. A pop of color on the other side of the road caught his eye. A book stand in gaudy colors had been erected in front of the general store. Posters of a man playfully chasing a woman were plastered about the stacks of books. He walked over and picked up the top book in the stack, staring at the cover.

 _Make-Out Paradise_


	8. Chapter 8

Yuiko quickly wiped her tears away with the back of her sleeve before getting up and exiting the room. She returned shortly with a tray and snapped the door shut behind her.

"Here. Have some of this if you think you can keep it down."

She placed a plate of malformed rice balls and a cup of hot tea beside Kakashi. He picked both items up with some hesitation.

"I'm not going to poison you."

"I wasn't thinking that."

"Hmph."

She got up and crossed to the other side of the room. Kakashi placed the items back down, watching her as she took clothes and various small items out of the single set of drawers and placed them into a knapsack.

"You don't seem to carry much," he noted.

"It would be impractical."

"Being an outlaw must be quite impractical. But I suppose I can only speculate."

She stopped packing and sat still with her back to him. Kakashi clutched a kunai in his hand beneath the blanket. He watched as she moved the back of her arm across her face and finished closing her knapsack. She walked toward him purposefully and sat beside him on the floor.

Kakashi tensed at the look on her face.

"You are going to listen to me," she said sternly. "I think this was a trap. Noboru figured out how to flush me out to get to the scroll. You were all incredibly lucky not to get killed. I think your students beating his men weren't part of the plan, so you may have bought some extra time …"

"Wait a minute. Noboru?"

Yuiko looked down at her lap, clutching the fabric of her pants. "I … I would imagine sometimes. What I would say to you if I saw you again. To make you believe me … but, I don't think there is anything. I think the only way you'll believe me is if you see him. And that can't happen. He won't let you live if that happens. So you need to leave — you need to take Naruto and Sakura and leave now —"

"What happened with the blood scroll?"

She looked up at him reluctantly. His expression remained neutral.

"Whose body was that, if it wasn't his?"

"It doesn't matter now. If you don't go —" she said.

"I'm not leaving. Not until I know what happened. You said that we bought some time. You can use that time explaining why I shouldn't kill you."

Kakashi was taken aback by the look of dejection in her eyes. She turned away from him and looked out the window. After a minute she began to speak.

.

* * *

.

Tap tap tap.

Yuiko buried her face in her pillow and groaned.

Tap tap tap.

She lifted her head to look at the clock. It showed that it was 3:06am. She pushed herself out of bed and made her way to the living room. She pulled back the window's curtains, revealing a figure crouched outside in the moonlight.

"Kakashi, what are you —?"

"Aww, seriously? I think I'm way too good looking to be mistaken for him. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since it's dark."

Yuiko gasped.

"No-Noboru? Why are you coming in through the window? Are you going to start doing that too? It makes me so mad that Kakashi can't use the door like a normal person, and if you start too —"

Noboru laughed. "Don't worry. This is a one-time thing, okay? We got assigned an important mission and I figured you'd react to this faster."

 _Because he knows how it drives me crazy,_ she thought.

She pulled open the window to let Noboru inside. "A mission? Now?"

"You know that we're being considered for jōnin, right?"

Yuiko stopped rubbing her eyes. Kakashi had told them just yesterday that he had recommended them. It had only been a few hours before that they had taken the night off celebrating.

"Well of course. But … so soon? And like this?"

Noboru's face turned grim. It was an odd look for him. She caught him with that look out of the corner of her eye every now and then. When he had it, she always felt like there was a huge gap between them, as if he suddenly went from within arm's reach to a speck on the horizon. She hated it.

"Give me seven minutes."

Noboru smiled, his presence returning. Yuiko mirrored his grin and left for her room.

—

As they traveled, Noboru filled her in on how Konoha intelligence had intercepted a message detailing the plan from a group of rogue shinobi to steal the forbidden jutsu of the Blood Scroll.

"The Anbu believe that the shinobi are from Kirigakure," he told her. "Long ago it looks like both Konohagakure and Kirigakure worked together to hide the scroll."

"It's a forbidden scroll, right? What does it do?" she asked.

Noboru looked uneasy. "I wasn't able to find that out … I mean, it wasn't in the case file. It's powerful, though. A shinobi who uses it can wipe out an entire army … it's something that no one has dared to touch for a long time. I guess somehow a few shinobi from Kirigakure found out about it and how to get through the defenses. They defected and are now en-route. The Hokage sent some of the Anbu out to intercept them, but he wanted someone to move it since the location has been compromised. And who better than the two jōnin candidates, right?"

"What about Kakashi?"

"Who do you think gave me the case file? He used to roll with those Anbu guys, remember? He's probably already joined them in the intercept point. He has faith that we can do this."

—

"Here it is," Noboru said.

They had journeyed for less than an hour outside the village. Yuiko was familiar with the territory, but never suspected that there was anything out of the ordinary about it. They stood in a grassy field that emerged from the forest and lined a small stream.

"If this thing is so precious, why leave it unguarded?"

"Who says it isn't?"

Noboru weaved a series of hand signs and pushed his hand against the grass. The grass seemed to bend beneath his hand as if he was stretching a sheet of cloth. He smiled at her and let his entire body fall into the dent. It rippled behind him like water and went still, as if he had never been there. Yuiko jumped in after him. She landed in a stone corridor and looked up at the moonlight above her. From here she could see that the true opening to the cave was quite large. The seal that had been put in place to mask the presence of the cave opening was impressive; there must have been enough chakra flowing through it to tangibly support the weight of anyone passing by. She made a mental note to ask the Hokage about it later.

Noboru lit a torch that was hanging on the wall and began to walk down the passageway. Yuiko trotted up to his side. From what he had told her, they didn't have a lot of time before the shinobi looking to steal the Blood Scroll would arrive.

When they reached a metal door at the end of the hallway, Noboru handed her the torch and crouched down to put his palm against the keyhole. "The key Konoha had to this door has been lost since the end of the first war. I figured that it was something the third and fourth Hokages weren't too keen on replacing, considering they were never planning to open it again. I think if I concentrate, I can feel out the mechanism with my chakra and create a key that will open it. This is going to take all of my attention, so please don't talk to me."

Yuiko was surprised at how serious he was all of a sudden. He saw the look on her face and smirked. "Hey, don't take it personal. If I mess this up, then the entire corridor will fill with poisonous gas. Or blow up. Or both. The case file wasn't 100% clear on that."

"... and you need me to be here?"

"Of course! You're my motivating factor! It's one thing to keep myself from getting blown up, but it's another thing entirely if I also have to keep my best friend from dying horribly too!"

He shot her a thumbs up with his free hand.

Yuiko's eye twitched, but she returned his thumbs up with a weak smile. Noboru clapped his hands together.

"Alright! Let's get started!"


	9. Chapter 9

The door clicked and swung inward into darkness. The pair let out a sigh of relief. Noboru had only worked on the door for 11 minutes, but it was the most stressful 11 minutes in Yuiko's near memory. She could also tell that Noboru was nearly spent. During that time he had to be hyperaware of how his chakra flowed and what pins within the door needed to be pressed. That and the stress had cost him a fair chunk of his strength. He stood up with a little difficulty and stretched his stiff muscles. Yuiko stepped closer to the door, using the torch to illuminate the room, which was pitch black except for a light shining down upon a pedestal. It was about 50 feet away and at the center of the room. Upon the pedestal sat what appeared to be a sealed scroll.

"It's a trap" Noboru stated.

"Obviously. How do we get around it?"

"Well …"

Noboru picked up a stone lying on the floor. He tossed it casually into the room. The stone split into small pieces and fell. And kept falling. It was at this point that Yuiko noticed that the room didn't have a floor, just a seemingly endless pit. And … something harder to detect. It was as if chakra was emitting from every part of the room.

"Have you figured it out yet?" he quipped.

Yuiko scowled in thought.

Noboru laughed, casually putting his hands behind his head. "There's chakra-infused wire crossing every inch of this room. Unless you know how to disarm the trap, there's no way anything but a bug could navigate through. Unfortunately for us, the knowledge on how to do that exactly has been lost to time."

"It seems like it would have been easier to just let the rogue shinobi steal this thing first, then intercept it."

Noboru snickered. "Sure, but I don't think the Hokage would want to take that chance. Instead …"

He pointed at her with both his hands. "We're putting our faith in you."

"I knew that was coming."

"You sure did!"

Yuiko sighed, slowly putting one finger into the room. She could feel the chakra tingling in her finger as she phased through it. She pulled her hand back. If the chakra flow in all of the wires matched the few she felt, she was confident that she could get through them. But she would also have to do so mid-air. Along with grabbing the scroll at the right time to incorporate it into her jutsu before it would get shredded into confetti.

She handed Noboru the torch and walked a few paces back from the open door. Noboru stepped to the side with a confident look on his face. She nodded and gave him a solemn thumbs up. He returned the gesture with gusto.

Yuiko ran full speed at the door and leapt into the room. She could only describe the feeling as she moved through the wires as similar to that of getting a thousand paper cuts. She focused mainly on keeping her vitals unharmed, and in the process ignored keeping her skin fully intact. She latched onto the scroll, infusing it with her chakra so it, too, would phase through the wires. Her feet made contact with the opposite wall, and she sprung back toward the door. She tumbled into the hallway, clutching the scroll to her chest. She had been able to pull it off in a little under 10 seconds, to her count. Noboru let out an enthusiastic whoop.

"Oh man, that was sweet! You look like Guy after he challenged Kakashi to collecting a bunch of cats, but the story behind these scars will be much cooler."

Yuiko looked down at herself. She had concentrated on protecting her torso, but her arms and legs were covered with cuts. She moved her arm away from her chest to make sure the scroll was still intact. A drop of blood fell from her cheek onto the seal.

Text flew out from the seal and circled about the scroll. The text then started flowing from the scroll onto her arm. She could see the text covering her body, and from the look Noboru was giving her, she guessed that the text had also spread to her face.

"No-Noboru …"

The text suddenly vanished, and she screamed. Her heart felt as if it would explode. Blackness filled the edges of her vision, and she could feel her consciousness slipping.

 _What is this? Some sort of seal? I don't recognize this. What do I do?_

" _It's powerful, but I can handle it. Hang on."_

 _Kokuō? Be careful. I feel like I consciously have to hold all the cells in my body together._

Yuiko did not receive a reply.

 _Kokuō?!_

" _I'm going to have to use all of my chakra to keep this thing from activating. You won't hear from me for a while. Stay strong, Yuiko."_

 _Kokuō! Please … Don't leave me alone … Kokuō!_

She fell into darkness.

—

Yuiko opened her eyes. The night sky was beginning to fade into a soft blue as the sun began to rise. She turned her head to see Noboru sitting next to her in the grass, his face in his hands. She pulled herself up into a sitting position. Noboru jumped and looked at her with a startled expression. His face was washed with relief as he pulled her into a hug then touched his forehead to hers.

"Don't do that to me, okay? You know I'm still working on my medical jutsu. I kept using it on you, and you wouldn't wake up … just … don't do that again."

Yuiko nodded.

Noboru pulled away and stood up. He offered his hand to her. She took it and allowed him to help pull her up. She leaned on him as they stood watching the sunrise.

"This was all my fault. You almost died because of me."

"We're shinobi," she replied, "That's what can happen when we go on a mission. I just hope someone will be able to figure out what happened with the scroll. Do you think we failed?"

Noboru didn't answer. Yuiko tried to catch his eye, but he looked away.

"There was no mission."

"Huh?"

Yuiko stared at him. He pulled his arm away and took a few steps from her.

"I made it up. I found out about the scroll when doing weapons research. This place is guarded … normally. I knocked out the guards with a sleeping gas before coming to get you."

He turned to her, looking at her hopefully. "I didn't mean for you to use it … I was going to destroy it. I'm still not entirely sure what it does, but I know that it's supposed to give the user tremendous power. Even more than the first Hokage."

Yuiko was frozen to the spot. Noboru took her hand.

"This place, Yuiko. It's not right, is it? Have you noticed? We became a part of the shinobi village that is supposed to protect the people of the Land of Fire. But … do we? We go on missions for rich diplomats. Maybe every now and then we'll send a group of genin out to fix a fence or do a simple escort, during times of peace. You told me how you saw it — how you saw the destruction of the last great war. Villages were burnt to the ground by the very shinobi who had once sworn to protect them. But all bets were off once they started to fight among themselves. Who do you think suffered the most? Sure, many shinobi died, but they were sent to die. They knew the risks. Like you just said, 'that's what can happen when we go on a mission.' But what about the villagers? Well they died, of course. And they didn't have a chance."

He squeezed her hand. Yuiko seemed hesitant, but didn't let go. Encouraged, his expression brightened.

"I can't stop war. No one can. There will always be war; there will always be men killing other men. But I think there is something I can do, and I want you to help me. Konoha, and all of the shinobi villages, need to fall. Let _every_ village in the nation be one with shinobi. Do away with the Kages and let the people decide how the shinobi should act. As it stands, the Hokage could order to have every man, woman, and child in the nation to be killed and no one could stop them."

Yuiko shook her head. "Lord Hokage would never do that! The shinobi would never do that!"

"Are you sure? Haven't you seen it before?"

Her mind wandered back to when she was eight years old, watching the buildings of a small town burn to the ground. Watching as the people of the village were cut down by shinobi. The passive look on her grandfather's face as they died. Noboru looked at her sternly.

"You came out here and helped me to retrieve the scroll because you trusted me," he said, "Think of what else any shinobi in the village would do if the Hokage asked it of them."

"The Hokage serves the Feudal Lord," she interjected, "The Feudal Lord would never allow …"

"And if the Feudal Lord was gone? Or worse yet, if he allowed the shinobi to wreak havoc on the nation as long as he was still able to fill his own pockets? What then? Don't you want to help the people of this nation?"

"I do," she said. "I do want to help them."

Noboru's regarded her hopefully. She lifted her face to look him meekly.

"But this … is not the way. I think … I think that Lord Third is trying. Trying to break apart the shinobi villages would just ... be chaos. For everyone."

Noboru studied her.

"I need you, Yuiko," he said slowly, "you know about the world outside of Konoha. You've seen what it's like out there for people who aren't shinobi. Your support means everything to me. I— I'm in love with you."

Yuiko stared at him, shocked.

"You—" her voice shook. "What is wrong with you?!" she yelled in anger. "You think I'm stupid? You think I never noticed when you say things like that to get people to do what you want?"

Noboru looked at her guiltily.

"I never thought ... you'd try that on me," she choked.

"Yuiko, I'm sorry. I just—"

"I don't care! I don't care about any of this! I just want to go home!"

Instinctively, she used her phasing jutsu to pull away. She was so distracted, she didn't realize how weak she was. Her chakra gave out almost immediately as she tried to phase through Noboru.

Noboru screamed as his hand fell to the ground. Yuiko backed away in terror, her friend's blood dripping from her clothes. Noboru fell to the grass, cradling his arm. For a moment he sat motionless, staring at it. She watched him lift his left hand and place it over the wound. It emitted a green glow and he cried out again as smoke rose from his injury. When he pulled his hand away she saw that that he had cauterized it to stop the bleeding. His remaining hand shook slightly, and his blue eyes stood out sharply against the pallor that had fallen over his face.

"Noboru … I'm — I'm so sorry … let me go get help. Please, I didn't mean to —"

Without looking at her, Noboru reached out to touch his hand lying in the grass.

"Flesh Imitation Jutsu."

The hand glowed a bright blue before being concealed in a poof of smoke. When it cleared, Yuiko looked in awe at a perfect imitation of Noboru lying in the grass.

 _A clone? Why would he …?_

Noboru nonchalantly flipped the double onto its face. He raised his left hand and a kunai materialized in his palm. He clenched onto it, pausing for a few seconds before he drove his arm deep into the clone's back. To Yuiko's surprise, the double didn't disappear like a regular clone. Noboru stood up shakily, looking down at his work.

"While studying medical jutsu, I discovered that I can make organic objects. Not from scratch like my weapons, but as an extension of something else. Using my hand and a simple clone jutsu, this copy will last for days. More than long enough for a quick examination and burial."

"I wasn't expecting to get away with destroying the scroll without consequences," he continued. "The higher ups of Konoha would be livid that we destroyed their greatest weapon, but they would have no one to punish for it. I honestly believed that you would come with me. We would fake our deaths and make it look like the effects of the scroll got the better of us. I wouldn't have left the canisters of sleeping gas I used on the guards in your apartment if I had thought otherwise."

Yuiko's blood ran cold. She looked up at him, disbelieving. "If I tell Lord Hokage, he and Kakashi will —"

"Believe you? Maybe. But there will be many others that won't. You won't be able to prove that you didn't work with me to steal the scroll then chickened out at the last minute. You are an outsider after all; there will always be that level of distrust. And it won't help when the rumors start going around that you're a jinchūriki. I'm sure you hear all that chatter about the kid who has the Nine-Tails sealed in him."

"But no one knows about that, right? Would they find out? Do you think ..." she said, distressed. "What … what would happen to me?"

"Lock you up, most likely. At the very least you'll have all of your freedoms stripped away from you. Even if the Hokage pardons you, everyone will still see you as a traitor to the village."

Yuiko fell to her knees. "Noboru … please …"

 _I'm losing my home again …_

"Come with me, Yuiko," he said with desperation. "You can't go back now. Your life there would be miserable. I want you to be happy. And you know that I'm not just saying that."

Yuiko hugged herself, closing her eyes tightly.

 _Kokuō? What do I do? Help me!_

She was met with silence. In all her life this was the first time she recalled being truly alone. It terrified her. Yuiko stood up, shaking. She threw her arms around Noboru, tears streaming down her face. He held her, gently stroking her hair with his remaining hand.

"I won't let them get you, Yuiko. I promise. I'll keep you safe. Just stay with me."


	10. Chapter 10

"So you've been with Noboru this whole time?"

Yuiko shook her head, staring at the floor. "I was … so scared. I didn't want to be alone. And at first, it wasn't so bad. People really like Noboru. We made some friends, and then more and more. And we took on jobs for the villages we passed through. We were helping them, just like Noboru wanted. And then he …"

Yuiko looked at Kakashi, conflicted. "I couldn't … be there anymore. He was changing. And it scared me more than the idea of being alone. That was about 10 years ago. And I just hid. From everyone."

"He was alright with you leaving?"

"No. He does his best to keep track of me. He doesn't like that I have the scroll."

"You must be pretty good to have not been caught by anyone by now."

She looked at him then down at the floor.

"I can phase through things," she said bluntly, "It's a pretty good skill to have for hiding."

Kakashi studied her. There was one thing bugging him about her story. "Unless something has changed, you were always able to outmatch Noboru in combat. Why run from him? Why didn't you kill him? You're still a jinchūriki."

A sore expression flashed across her face. "Kokuō never came back. And I … can't beat him. I'm not strong enough."

 _Liar,_ he thought.

"Well, either way, you're right. We should get going."

He stood, grabbing his vest and sliding it over his shoulders.

Yuiko stood up slowly, studying him.

 _I'm sure she's wondering if I believe her story. What am I going to do, ask to have Noboru's body exhumed when I get back? This is a joke. And not a funny one._

He paused before opening the door. "I won't tell them I found you. I'll instruct Naruto and Sakura to keep this between us as well. I owe you that for saving our lives."

He opened the door and went to wake Naruto and Sakura in the next room.

—

Kakashi refused Yuiko's offer to guide them down a goat path through the forest. He countered that the main road would be good enough for them since they needed to backtrack to the nearest village to see if they could find any information on Mr. Ito. There was no proof to back up Yuiko's claims, and the more likely scenario was that they were attacked for the jewels Mr. Ito was carrying. This was now a search and rescue mission, and hiding in the forest wasn't going to help them find the missing jeweler.

Yuiko accused him of putting his student's lives needlessly in danger. The two of them angrily went back and forth before finally Naruto and Sakura stepped in saying they should get going. They thanked Yuiko for her help and hospitality and made their way to the road. Kakashi hung back for a moment as his two students walked away from the house.

"If I sense you following us, all bets are off. I'll even help the Anbu track you down myself."

It had been nearly half an hour since then, but Kakashi's blood was still boiling. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so livid. He had to remind himself more than a few times that he was a man of his word; that he would keep the fact that they ran into Yuiko a secret.

"Kakashi-Sensei, look!"

As they came around a bend in the road, they could see the figure of a man standing in the distance.

"Is that … Mr. Ito?!" Sakura said excitedly.

As they walked closer, they could see that the man indeed was Masao Ito. He waved and walked toward them.

"Haha, I can't believe it! Here you all are in one piece! I was wondering if you all had made it."

"We're glad that you're alright, Mr. Ito," Sakura said with relief.

Kakashi studied the man as he chatted with Sakura and Naruto.

 _Where has he been? He doesn't have a scratch on him. Was he able to get away from those shinobi during the fight earlier?_

Masao turned to Kakashi. "How about we get going, hmm? It's a bit of a trek back to Konoha from here. What do you say, Kakashi?"

Masao gave him a playful clap on the arm.

' _You're funny, man! Have we met? I think I'd remember seeing you around the academy.'_

Kakashi studied Mr. Ito.

 _There's no way…_

"Before we get going," he said nonchalantly, "how about I have my students go make camp? I'm sure we have a lot to catch up on."

Sakura and Naruto stared at him like he had three heads.

"Kakashi-Sensei, are you feeling alright? We haven't been walking for _that_ long."

Naruto felt Mr. Ito grab his shoulder. He turned and saw that the hand holding onto him was nearly transparent. He could see lines of light twisting through the palm and up and down the fingers. It reminded him of the chakra flow diagrams Iruka-Sensei would show them at the academy. He looked into the face of the man smiling down at him, standing where Mr. Ito had once been. He was much taller, and quite handsome. He reminded Naruto of the virtuous protagonists on the covers of novels and movie posters. Glittering blue eyes studied them behind the strands of golden-brown hair that fell over his forehead. Naruto glanced over at Sakura and became annoyed to see her blushing. The man bent down, wrapping his arms playfully about their shoulders.

"I'm quite impressed with your students, Kakashi! They fought much better than I could have imagined! I know that this one is a jinchūriki, but from the intel I collected I was under the impression that he was an idiot. So the fact the he beat Ryūsa was a bit of a shock ... But I guess you have a way in bringing out the best in your students. Bravo!"

Kakashi threw a kunai aimed at Noboru's chest. Noboru vanished in a flash. Naruto and Sakura ran over to flank Kakashi.

"Who was that weird guy? Is he another friend of yours?"

"Stay close. Keep your guard up," he replied.

Laughter rang out around them. "You're just as I remember! A prime example of what a shinobi from Konoha should be. A shinobi who would sacrifice his life in an instant for the sake of the village. A man who is infallible among his peers. I wanted to tell you this before, but I would have 'blown' my cover. Get it? 'Blown'? Because of the explosives ...? Man … you never were that much fun."

Noboru dropped to the ground a few feet behind them. They wheeled around to face him.

"Look, you know Yuiko. You told her not to come, but she will anyway. She's an intelligent woman, but… predictable. I was checking in on her every now and then to see if she's come around. But unfortunately for her, all of my puzzle pieces have fallen into place, and I can't afford to wait on her any longer. So I pulled some strings and got you and the kid out in the direction I knew she would be. That seemed to catch her attention."

Noboru lifted up his right arm. The fingers on his hand made of chakra bent and swirled viciously.

"Armored puppet jutsu!"

His hand split into two glowing tendrils of golden chakra. They stretched into the sky, then came crashing down to the ground. They writhed and twisted themselves into humanoid shapes. As they solidified, they took on the appearance of full suits of armor. The suits simultaneously reached down to their sides, as if to grasp a sword from a hilt that wasn't there. As they pulled their hands back, swords materialized in their palms. They moved in unison, pointing their swords toward Naruto and Sakura. Kakashi noticed that the suits of armor were still connected through a cord of chakra to Noboru's arm.

The armored puppets shot toward Naruto and Sakura. They let out a loud 'clang' as the two blocked their swords with kunai.

"Naruto! Sakura!"

Kakashi's attention snapped back to Noboru as he dodged three large needles that zipped past. The senbon landed with light 'thuds' in the dirt before dissipating into thin air.

"Come on now, you're better than that! What did you teach us about fighting puppet masters? Go for the shinobi themselves if you have the chance. Focusing too much on the puppet and not the puppeteer can make you miss a crucial opening."

Noboru swept forward with amazing speed. Kakashi dodged, noticing that Noboru's puppets seemed to be working independently despite still being connected through his arm. Naruto and Sakura were holding their own, but Sakura's leg was still on the mend and Naruto tended to get sloppy when a teammate was in trouble.

 _I need to end this quickly._

He pulled back his headband, revealing the sharingan in his left eye. He clasped his right arm. A ball of blue light emanated from his right hand as a screeching cry filled the air.

"Ahh … the lightning cutter!" Noboru said with glee, "I'm curious to see how you've improved on it since we were kids ... alright then! Show me what the famed Kakashi of the Sharingan can do!"

Kakashi leapt forward. Noboru stood his ground, looking at Kakashi amusedly. As Kakashi got closer, Noboru suddenly whipped forward his right arm. Sakura, who had been grabbed by one of the armored puppets, flew directly into his path. Kakashi flung his right arm over to his left, causing his body to rotate and hit Sakura with his shoulder. He dismissed the lighting cutter, but not before he sustained a searing burn across his chest. He dropped to the ground and struggled to catch his breath amid the pain.

"Your other student is quite amusing," Noboru quipped.

Kakashi looked over to see that Naruto was using shadow clones to keep the puppet at a distance. Every few seconds the puppet would open up its chest plate like a clam and trap a clone inside. The clones disappeared in a puff of smoke as the armor clamped down.

"This one ... not so much. She used substitution a few times, but I don't think she was able to think up of anything more clever given the relentless attack. It's kind of disappointing …"

"Shut up, you jerk!" Sakura roared, "When I get free I'm going to punch you right in your stupid face!"

Noboru reeled with laughter. "I take that back! I like her! Kind of annoying, but endearing, you know? I'm sure you feel the same way. Which is why things are about to get very bad for you in a second."

The puppet's chest plate started to clamp down on Sakura. She cried out in pain.

"Sakura!"

Kakashi rushed forward. He reached the puppet, grasping at the armor as the pieces closed in around her. No matter how hard he pulled, the armor continued to engulf her.

 _Sorry, Sakura. This might hurt._

"Chidori!"

He thrust his hand against the breastplate. The armor glowed, and for a moment Kakashi thought in panic that it might be too strong. But a small crack formed, followed by another. The breastplate shattered, and Kakashi pulled Sakura out of the puppet. He sprung back, Sakura gasping for air in his arms.

"Wow! I'm actually impressed! I mean … I really didn't think you could break through that. So I gotta know … How many times do you think you could do that before your chakra runs out?"

As he spoke, the damaged puppet contorted in the air while his chakra formed a new breastplate. Within a few seconds it looked like new.

Kakashi looked at him with dread. "Who … are you?"

Noboru's smile faltered.

"Man … does chidori fry your brain or something? If we were in a different situation, I would say you should get that checked out …"

"Noboru is dead."

Noboru's cheerful expression vanished.

"I identified his body," Kakashi choked out. "I wouldn't visit his grave as often as I should have. I always feel guilty about that ... but I know plenty of others who do. Everyone admired him. I thought he could be a smug asshole sometimes, but beneath that he seemed to genuinely care about people. Especially Yuiko."

Noboru's expression shifted. All of a sudden, it really felt to him that the man before him was Noboru. The kid who always had a smile and a stupid joke. The handsome son of a wealthy merchant who had every young girl in Konoha falling head over heels for him. The guy who he once trusted with his life.

Noboru lowered his eyes, breaking their gaze. "That kid didn't die … he can't die, since he never existed."

 _Liar,_ Kakashi thought.


	11. Chapter 11

"Wait, so you're seriously going to be a medical-nin?"

"Yeah, man. Why not?"

"You know that mostly just chicks who do that ... right?"

"Duh. I'm the only one who's a guy in my class. Just me … and a room full of cute girls," Noboru said smugly.

"... Uh … Hey, does your class have any spots left?" his friend asked nervously.

Noboru laughed. He was heading to his usual lunch spot when he paused at the training posts. His attention had been caught by a girl sitting alone on one of the posts, eating her lunch. His friend turned around, noticing that Noboru was no longer following.

"What are you looking at? Oh, it's just her."

"She's the new transfer, right?"

"Yeah — guess she took that title from you. She's kinda weird; doesn't really talk much. She's pretty good at everything though, maybe even better than you!"

The kid chortled at his own joke, but tried to cover it into a cough when he noticed Noboru's passive reaction.

"You can go talk to her if you want. Seems kinda snooty though, if you ask me."

The kid turned around, surprised to see that Noboru had already walked away.

—

"Yo!"

Yuiko looked up from her lunch. Noboru smiled up at her as he walked closer. She peered at him with a quizzical expression.

"I'm Noboru Takahashi! I'm in the homeroom class down the hall from you. It's an awful shame to see a pretty girl like yourself eating lunch all alone."

Yuiko stared at him.

"Eh … So … Can I join you?"

She shrugged.

Noboru leapt up onto the neighboring post and casually sat down. "So you transferred too, right? Why are you here in Konoha?"

"My grandfather died, so I came to live here."

"Oh. That's too bad. But he was your grandpa so he must have been pretty old, right?"

"I guess."

 _Man, I'm falling into a depression just talking to her._

He noticed that the girl's attention already seemed to be elsewhere. Her expression suddenly became annoyed.

"Ok, I'll do it. Stop asking," she mumbled.

 _Maybe the other kids are right about her being weird._

Yuiko turned back to him. She kept her eyes lowered, seemingly shrinking before him. "What kind of … things … do you like?"

"Eh?"

Yuiko squirmed nervously, bunching the material of her pants up in her fists. Noboru couldn't help but to laugh.

"You're pretty funny, you know that?"

Yuiko looked at him with a dumbfounded expression. She smiled back timidly. "My grandfather had a joke he always used to tell me … do you want to hear it?"

"Aww yeah, of course!"

"What do you call a shinobi who can't excel in ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu?"

Noboru leaned forward expectantly. Yuiko took a deep breath.

"Dead!" she exclaimed.

Noboru stared at her, wondering if there was more to it. There wasn't.

"That's … a pretty terrible joke."

"I know …"

Noboru snickered. Yuiko raised her eyes to meet his, her mouth twitching at his expression. The two laughed.

"You should smile more! It's a good look on you," he said with a wink.

Yuiko blushed and looked down, embarrassed.

"You're ... not from here either, right?" she asked timidly.

"Nah! I'm from Kagayaku Hōseki village. My family's kind of a big deal there," he said with a smirk.

He glanced over, surprised to see that she had a sympathetic look on her face.

"What?"

"They were hit pretty hard during the war, right?"

"You heard about that?"

She nodded. The two sat in silence. There had been some adults who acted the same way when they found out about where he was from. This was the first time another kid had known about it. He got up to leave.

"Hey, Noboru."

He looked over. Yuiko sat with a deadpan expression, her chopsticks hanging out of her nose. She pointed to her face. "This is funny, right?"

"Kind of inappropriate, considering the mood."

"Oh."

She pulled the chopsticks out, looking a bit dejected. Noboru smiled. He hopped down from the post and began to walk away.

"Let's meet for lunch here again tomorrow, okay?"

Yuiko didn't answer. He figured that was going to be a recurring theme with her. But for some reason he didn't seem to mind.

.

* * *

.

"Yuiko! Fall back!" Kakashi cried.

Noboru struggled to keep his concentration. This was his first time mending broken ribs on a living person, and it was turning out to be a lot more challenging than the cadaver in class.

"Noboru, you need to hurry" Kakashi barked.

"Yeah, you think?!"

Kakashi grunted and turned his attention back to the fight.

"Yuiko!" he called out again.

 _Dammit …_ Noboru thought. He had used up most of his chakra at the beginning of the ambush. They had been attacked by 15 of them, way more than the initial report had indicated. They were transporting documents to help resolve a petty land dispute between two Lords, one of which seemed to think it was important enough to hire a small army to make sure the documents didn't make it. Kakashi had taken the brunt of the attack; the enemy knew enough about who he was to target him first.

 _A good strategy … if it was anyone else._

Kakashi was able to beat most of them with ease. Not to be outdone, Noboru pushed himself to take out a number of the enemy himself. But then they kept coming, and Kakashi ordered him to fall back in order to conserve chakra. It had been a good call, since one of the shinobi was able to get a good blow in while Kakashi was fighting them three-on-one. It seemed that only two of the mercenaries remained now, both of which were being kept busy by Yuiko.

 _She's going to die … We need to get out of here!_

Noboru closed his eyes, trying to feel the flow of chakra within Kakashi's body. Trying to bend it to his will to stitch the broken bones together.

"Fireball jutsu!"

Noboru looked up. Yuiko stood with her back to them a few yards away. She looked miniscule against the giant ball of flames heading toward her. He could feel the heat from the flames washing over his face. Kakashi leapt to his feet. He held on to his side as he tried to run.

 _He'll never make it …_

Yuiko was engulfed by the flames. Kakashi stopped dead. The two of them stared at the inferno. Everything slowed down as he watched her figure disappear into the light.

 _I lost her … I lost her too ..._

The flames shifted, then burst into the air. Yuiko flew toward the mercenary. At first he thought that Yuiko was still on fire. But the red glow around her body didn't move like regular flames.

 _It's … chakra. But how?_

Yuiko cried out, using her phasing jutsu to put her arm through the man's chest. She clenched her fist, making her arm solid again.

Noboru would always remember the look on that man's face.

A ring of blood shot out from him as his innards exploded. The mercenary's body crumpled to the ground with a gaping hole in his torso. Slowly, Yuiko turned her head toward the last of the enemy. The man hesitated, but decided to raise his kunai. Yuiko shot toward him.

 _What's happening? When the hell did she get so fast?_

The mercenary tried feebly to slash at her. She grabbed onto his face, her fingers phasing into his skull. Noboru looked away. He heard a muffled scream, then silence.

He turned back to look at Yuiko. She was breathing heavily; he could see her back heaving from where her clothes had partially burned off.

A large symbol was visible on Yuiko's back. It looked like a spiral with sunburst-like markings encasing it. She turned around. Her eyes were an electric blue and had large red bags underneath.

 _What … is she?_

Noboru sat frozen to the spot. Yuiko was looking at them, but not in a way that made him feel recognized. He noticed movement to his left and watched as Kakashi limped toward her.

"Hey, Kakashi! Wait!" he cried.

Kakashi stopped, holding his side. "That," he breathed with some difficulty, "will be the last time you go against one of my orders. Is that understood?"

Yuiko's hands balled into fists.

 _Oh man … this is bad._

To his shock, she took a step back. The red aura about her began to fade along with the circles under her eyes. Her knees buckled and she collapsed face-first in the dirt. Noboru rose and ran toward her, tripping over one of the bodies. He regained his balance, sliding next to Yuiko and gingerly turning her over.

 _Her skin feels like she's on fire …_

She looked ragged, but back to her old self. He brushed the hair away from her forehead and sighed in relief.


	12. Chapter 12

"This … is … so … boring!"

Noboru fidgeted restlessly, flipping from side to side. Finally, he sat up and crossed his legs with a huff. Yuiko glared at him from the other side of the tree branch.

"You should be sleeping. You'll have to be the lookout soon."

"Hey how can you expect me to sleep at a time like this? Besides, I can't get comfortable sleeping in a tree."

Yuiko scoffed at him. He frowned.

"If we could just move to the ground —"

"You know this is the best spot to look out for other teams."

"Yeah, I know, I picked it! But that was before I tried to sleep on it …"

Yuiko's eyebrow twitched. Noboru decided to drop the subject. He groaned and looked down into the forest below. Luckily for the two of them, the "forest of death" wasn't yet living up to its name. Only 16 teams had applied for the chūnin exams this year. Most of the shinobi villages were still struggling to regain their forces after the war. Even fewer of those villages felt secure sending their genin off to Konoha for the exam. Considering the slim-pickings, plus the fact that the Hokage insisted, they had been allowed to enter as a two-man squad. Taking into account the looks that they got from the other teams, it seemed that they were considered an easy mark.

 _Good. Just keep underestimating us. It'll make our job easier._

The exam proctors had hidden eight flags somewhere within the forest. The objective was not only finding a flag, but to return it to their starting point within 48 hours. At least eight teams would be eliminated; and at the most, all sixteen, if they failed to get back in time. Plus, there would be some teams not even focusing on hunting for a flag. Instead, they would be waiting to ambush any squad heading back toward the gate. Noboru had decided to take the middle ground — spend some time looking for a flag, but also take advantage of another team if they could get them by surprise.

They did just that when they came across another team from Konoha making their way back to the gate only 15 hours after the exam had begun. He was unsurprised to find that the team included a member of the Hyūga clan. Lucky for them, the Hyūga shinobi was fatigued from using the byakugan to detect the flag, so they were able to lie in wait and spring a trap on the rival squad. After a few minutes of skirmishing, they had successfully incapacitated one of their members. It was then that the Hyūga shinobi, clearly the squad leader, proposed a bargain. He produced two flags from his gear pack. He said that their team would be free to have one of the flags if they agreed to work with them in getting back to the gate safely.

 _What a cop-out …_ Noboru had thought.

But, he would have to be an idiot not to take the handout.

And so here they were, only a few short hours away from their starting point in the forest. They had parted ways with the other team as they neared their respective gates, and Yuiko had been on high alert ever since. They had both agreed that stopping for the night would be the safest strategy since the shadows cast by the trees only made detecting traps and enemies more difficult. Plus, there were all of those pesky man-eating animals that Noboru had heard about. Even though those were obviously rumors. Obviously. He hoped.

"Hey, Yuiko —"

"Why are you still awake?"

"Gimme a break! Look, what do you want to do after you become a chūnin?"

She looked at him skeptically. "Keep going on missions. What else would I do?"

"Man … You have _no_ imagination."

"At least I'm not pretending I can't sleep because I'm afraid of being eaten by a giant centipede."

"That … is not … you know ... "

He sighed. They sat in silence, listening to the groaning of the giant tree limbs swaying in the wind.

"When you become a chūnin, are you planning on getting assigned near your home?" she whispered.

Noboru was taken aback by the question. Yuiko looked intently at the ground below, but he could see that the idea of him leaving bothered her.

"Ha! No way," he waved casually, laying down on his back. "I mean, not without taking you, anyway."

He could feel Yuiko's gaze on him even though he had closed his eyes.

"Noboru …" she said uneasily.

"And it wouldn't be Kagayaku Hōseki village. Not all the time anyway. We could travel all over! Think about all the adventures we could go on. And we'd help people – really help them! Not just pay lip service, but actually do it!"

Yuiko didn't answer. Noboru sat up, moving closer to her. He grasped the back of her head and gently put their foreheads together. "Hey, don't worry about it! We still have to even see if we pass this exam, right?"

Yuiko smiled and nodded. He pulled away, satisfied.

"Just think about it, OK? I mean, clearly you don't have to worry about us being able to handle ourselves. I know for a fact that I'm getting stronger every day. And you, you're …"

He paused. Yuiko looked at him, confused.

"... you're a jinchūr-"

Yuiko had her hands plastered over his mouth in an instant. She looked at him with a panicked expression. She grabbed him by the front of his tunic.

"Why would you say that, Noboru? You're sooooo funny! Always joking around! Hahaha!" she said as she shook him vigorously with a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Hey! Stop it! Look I figured it out, alright?"

She stopped shaking him, her smile disappearing. He brushed her hands away from his jacket.

"I don't care! I mean … I think it's kinda cool anyway."

She pulled herself away, ducking her head down. "You didn't … tell anyone, did you?"

"No, I didn't tell anyone," he said.

Yuiko hugged her knees to her chest. Noboru felt a little guilty.

"I spent some time reading about the Uzumaki Clan when I went to the archives to research weapons. The scroll talked about their ability to create jinchūriki, and I kind of put two and two together …"

"Please don't tell anyone, okay?"

He had never heard Yuiko sound so scared.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" he said confidently.

She glanced over at him.

"I just wanted to tell you because …" he rubbed the back of his head, bashfully. "You saved us that one time. You know, when I thought we were done for. You saved us because of what you can do. Thanks."

"Don't say that," she said, flustered. "I didn't listen to Kakashi-Sensei. I should have retreated like he said —"

"Don't undermine yourself. You have power, and you used it to do something good! If Kakashi, or anyone, says anything otherwise, then they're wrong!"

Yuiko looked at him doubtfully. Noboru pushed down the feeling of anger bubbling up in his gut.

"Kakashi said it himself: 'A shinobi who breaks the rules is scum, but a shinobi who abandons their friends is worse than scum.'"

Yuiko reflected on this this. "I guess that makes sense …"

Noboru grinned. He resented that it was Kakashi's words that got her to come around, but at least she was feeling better.

"We're going to have each other's backs, OK? Now and always."

Yuiko smiled and gave him a thumbs-up.

.

* * *

.

Noboru was staring at Kakashi with a pained expression. Something caught his attention— his cheerful demeanor returning as if flicking on a switch.

"Ah! Here we go!" Noboru exclaimed.

The second puppet made its way back to his hand, Naruto clutched within.

"Naruto!" Sakura gasped.

Kakashi grunted in frustration. Naruto getting captured so easily wasn't a part of his plan.

"OK, now we can get down to business," Noboru stated. "Here's what I need from you to keep him alive—"

The air shifted around him, and Kakashi felt a presence appear to his left. Yuiko stood beside him, her fists clenched in anger. She swept out her right hand to point it at Noboru.

"You let go of him right now, you jerk!"

Noboru chuckled, "I don't think you're in a position to make demands right now, Yuiko."

He pulled Naruto to his chest. The puppet's figure shifted into chains that encompassed Naruto's body. Noboru lifted his left arm. A ball of chakra formed in his palm, transforming itself into a Katana. He grabbed hold of it, shifting the blade to point at Naruto's heart.

"I guess this is you getting me back, Yuiko. I backed you into a corner a while ago and now you're returning the favor. It was pretty easy, at first, for me to find rogue shinobi who were willing to help me take down the shinobi villages. But when you figured out that we were attacking the low-ranked shinobi from Konoha you decided to take off, along with the Blood Scroll."

 _What is he talking about?_ Kakashi thought. _There's been a rise in chūnin vanishing on missions, but there's been nothing but circumstantial evidence to make anyone believe that the incidents were connected._

"What would be the point of that? You'd be accomplishing nothing different than common bandits," Kakashi said. He needed Noboru to get distracted and put his guard down. He pooled chakra into his arm to ready another chidori.

"On a small scale, yes," Noboru answered, "but if I was able to wipe out nearly a hundred active low-rank shinobi from the village at once, that would be something more, no?"

"That would be almost every chūnin we have assigned to a mission," Kakashi said. "No matter how full you are of yourself, you could never pull that off. And even our low-ranking shinobi are far from easy targets."

"You're right!" Noboru replied, "You would need an army of the best mercenaries money could buy." He smiled.

 _Could he actually pull that off? No, it must be a bluff,_ Kakashi thought.

"What's the point? What could you gain other than having the strongest shinobi in Konoha making your death a top priority?"

"I may not be as good as Yuiko, but I've become very adapt to sneaking around. No one from Konoha has picked up on the fact that I'm not dead, for example. And I would continue to do what I've been doing this whole time— planting doubt in the minds of the people that make up this nation. Did you know that those C- and B-ranked missions are actually the bread-and-butter of Konoha? Now take away two thirds of Konoha's shinobi. Relations go down, income goes down, and the rumors start spreading around that Konoha is weak and only a detriment to this nation."

"The people agree with me," he continued, "they're ready to have shinobi of their own, who would fight only to protect them and not among themselves. Which leads to my current problem. One of the mercenaries I hired to keep tabs on Yuiko got cocky and decided to attempt to steal the Blood Scroll when I warned him about it. She killed him, of course, but she was able to find out about all this and start heading back to warn Konoha. So now I have no choice."

"Last chance, Yuiko," Noboru said, his voice growing stern. "I put a lot of time and effort into getting that scroll. I'm sorry that I lied to you back then about what I wanted to do with it, but we both know you wouldn't have been able to think things through clearly if I told you the truth at the time. I'm able to execute my plan without it— but if I can use the scroll's power now to get rid of the higher ups in Konoha in one fell swoop, I'll have a better chance of getting people to come to their senses before more blood is spilled. You handing it over or not isn't going to change Konoha's fate, but it will keep this revolution from getting drawn out and becoming an even greater bloodbath. Give it to me, and I'll be on my way. Everyone here will get to walk away alive and well."

Yuiko's brow furrowed, her arms shaking as her hands balled into fists. "Who the hell are you to talk about Konoha's fate?!"

Her eyes darted back and for between Naruto and Noboru. "I don't ... I don't have that scroll you want."

Noboru sighed, looking worn. His gaze shifted, landing on Kakashi. "I know both of you have a vested interest in this kid. If you want him to live, you'll kill her."

The image of Rin choking on her own blood popped into Kakashi's mind. He pushed the thought down. He glanced over to Yuiko. Her face was twisted in rage as she stared at Noboru.

"I don't want this," Noboru said, "I don't want it to be this way. You warning Konoha now would ruin everything I've been building for so many years. Something that we could have built together. All you had to do was stay with me. All you had to do was pick me."

Noboru brought his attention back to Kakashi.

"I'm not going to kill her, Noboru," Kakashi said firmly.

"Oh, I see," Noboru scowled. "How sad. Another instance of someone being sacrificed for the sake of the village. Even to this day you're such a _good_ little Konoha shinobi. Too bad for him, though."

He plunged the sword into Naruto. Naruto screamed in pain as blood sprayed from his chest and mouth. Sakura clapped her hands over her mouth in shock. Kakashi glanced again at Yuiko, relieved that Noboru was too preoccupied to notice that anything was off. Yuiko smirked.

Poof!

In a cloud of smoke Yuiko transformed into Naruto.

Noboru looked down to see that the Naruto at his chest no longer had his arms bound by the chains. The boy grabbed on to the hilt of the sword. Letting out a cry, he plunged the sword through his body and deep into Noboru's rib cage. Swirls of text circled around the imitation Naruto's skin. They disappeared, going in the direction toward his chest wound. Noboru's chakra sword and chains dissipated. Yuiko fell onto her hands and knees, returning to her normal appearance in a cloud of smoke.

Noboru clutched at his chest, blood flowing between his fingers and the script from the Blood Scroll flying about his body. He took a few steps back, crying out in pain.

"Naruto, help Sakura," Kakashi said, and he disappeared in a flash.

He reappeared next to Yuiko, helping her up. Her tunic had a tear near her collarbone, but it looked like she had used her phasing jutsu to avoid any damage from the sword. They put some distance between themselves and Noboru and watched as he fell to his knees, a radiance of steam now emanating from his body.

"What's happening to him?" Kakashi asked.

"It's the scroll. It must be keeping him from dying from the wound. I had no idea it could be transferred …"

She stared at Noboru in disbelief. "The scroll is opening the Gate of Death."

Kakashi's breath caught in his chest. He was familiar with the Eight Gates, being able to open the first one himself. Might Guy was the only user of the Eight Gates technique that he knew of who dared to go beyond the fourth gate. But the last gate, the Gate of Death, meant that the user would achieve the Eight Inner Gates Formation. They would have access to the entirety of their body's chakra flow all at once, making them stronger than any known living shinobi. But the cost …

Kakashi looked over at Yuiko. A tear rolled down her cheek as she looked at Noboru.

' _I … can't beat him. I'm not strong enough.'_

Her words echoed in his mind.

 _It took all of this to bring yourself to try kill him. Even after what he did to you._

Kakashi's eyes darted back to Noboru.

"Don't do anything stupid," Yuiko said, her voice soft.

His eyes narrowed in frustration. Outwardly, Noboru seemed preoccupied, but Kakashi knew that with every passing second Noboru grew immensely stronger. Any window that they had to take Noboru by surprise before the gates started taking effect were long over. They needed to prepare.

Kakashi grasped her arm. "We need to get out of here. We may still have a chance of hiding —"

Yuiko pulled her arm away. Her eyes didn't break away from Noboru. "I ... I lied to him when I figured out what the scroll was. I overheard him talking about where to hide the bodies of the Konoha shinobi and ... I couldn't tell him ... I didn't want him to learn how ... I told him the scroll draws power from its own seal; not from within the wielder. I don't think he knows how to use the inner gates. He won't be able to last long like this. I'll make sure that he doesn't make it anywhere he could hurt someone."

 _Yuiko …_

Kakashi turned around. Naruto and Sakura had made their way up to them.

"Kakashi-Sensei, what's going on?"

He put a hand on each of their shoulders. "The two of you need to get back to the village as fast as possible. Warn them about an impending attack. Do not stop for any reason. Warn everyone you see to run away from here, do you understand?"

Sakura nodded. Naruto leaned over to look at Noboru, who was now gasping on the ground as red steam flowed from his body.

"Kakashi-Sensei, what's wrong with him? Are you going to be —?"

"I can handle this."

Kakashi's eyes grew soft. "I'm proud of you two. There's a certain satisfaction you get out of being someone's teacher. You two helped me get that back, and became fine shinobi in the meanwhile."

Sakura's voice shook, "Ka-Kakashi-Sensei …"

"Go. That is an order. The village depends on it."

Sakura nodded, snatching Naruto's sleeve and pulling him back. Naruto stepped back reluctantly, then disappeared after Sakura.

Kakashi stepped up to Yuiko's side.

"I don't need your help," she said. "And I definitely don't need to know that I'm responsible for your death too."

Kakashi chuckled. "Someone told me once that being free meant that you could choose how to live your life as you see fit. And that if someone chose to use their life as a means to protect others that are precious to them, that they should be allowed to do so. No matter how reckless it may be."

Yuiko met his gaze. "That's not fair."

"I know."

A sudden gale of wind blasted past them. They braced themselves to keep standing amongst the debris flying past. Noboru's laughter rang out somewhere within the dust cloud.

"You're so greedy, Yuiko! Keeping this all to yourself for so long! I'm grateful that you finally decided to share with me, though. I can only hope that you and Kakashi will survive long enough for me to see what I can do!"


	13. Chapter 13

Noboru shone like a beacon through the dust. His eyes were now white orbs, and his hair licked about his face like flames. In every sense, he looked like a demon straight from hell.

Kakashi took a breath to calm himself. "Now that the scroll is gone … do you have your powers as a jinchūriki back?"

"No," Yuiko said. "I can't feel her … More than half of my chakra seems to be gone. I think Kokuō might be …"

Kakashi sighed. "Damn, I was hoping that wasn't the case. Alright, plan B. Do you remember formation 28-E?"

"You think that's our best shot?"

"Unless you have something up your sleeve that can kill a demigod. I think this will keep him busy as long as possible."

Yuiko smirked. "Hmph … I never thought I'd die using something so basic."

"Like I tell my students, it all comes down to the fundamentals."

"Alright then, Kakashi-Sensei."

Kakashi pushed down the urge to call her out on the remark.

The two of them readied their stance.

"Clone Jutsu!"

Clones of both Yuiko and Kakashi poofed into existence around them. The clones and the originals scattered, disappearing into the haze.

Noboru was on them in an instant. His movements were hardly visible as he flashed between each clone as they dissipated out of reality.

"Clone Jutsu!"

More clones appeared. They scattered in every direction.

Noboru flew elegantly through the air, his laughter ringing out among the dust. He felt as if he were at the controls of reality itself. He didn't have to put any effort in sensing the dozens of clones dancing around him— he knew where each and every one of them were without even trying. As he moved, a curious thought passed through his subconscious, with the simple instruction to "fly". And to his delight, his body lifted into the air, his chakra pushing his body away from the ground. So much heat radiated from his body that all it took was him brushing up against a clone for it to disappear. Even so, Kakashi and Yuiko continued to create more clones to replace the ones destroyed.

"How about the two of you start taking this more seriously?"

Noboru stopped, floating mid-air as he lifted his arms above him. The sky sparkled as orbs of chakra blinked all around him, making it look as if it was aglow with red stars. Each of the stars took the form of a weapon. Hundreds of kunai, shuriken, and a variety of swords hung in the air. Noboru grinned, swinging his arms down with gusto. All of the weapons fell to earth, sinking into the ground with sickening "thuds". Many of the clones on the field below evaporated in an instant. Noboru levitated down slowly to the ground. He waved his hand, and all of the weapons vanished from sight. He made his way toward two lumps on the ground before him. The bodies of Kakashi and Yuiko lay motionless in the dirt. Noboru smiled, strolling confidently into their trap. He could feel the presence of around half a dozen of their chakra signatures behind him, lying in wait. He felt giddy, and was reminded of the times the three of them would train together. He and Kakashi used to have an ongoing contest to see who could outmaneuver the other. Kakashi normally won, although Noboru was proud to say he caught him by surprise on more than one occasion.

Noboru's throat suddenly grew tight, a flash of panic and confusion causing him to falter.

" _Who are you?"_

Noboru stared at the two figures lying motionless before him. He grimaced, baring his teeth. Noboru lifted his left hand, two kunai appearing between his fingers.

 _I am the change this world needs. I am the shield between the strong and the weak._

He lifted his arm to toss the kunai, figuring this would trigger the trap. A faint screeching sound echoed in the air, causing Noboru to pause. He turned to see Kakashi coming at him with his Lightning Cutter. Noboru laughed openly. He spread his arms wide in a welcoming position. "Come on, Kakashi-Sensei! I'm curious to see if you can even touch me without your skin peeling off! Show me what a true shinobi of Konoha should be!"

Noboru grunted, feeling a tingling sensation in his side. He looked down to see that the Yuiko lying in the dirt was now reaching through his side with her phasing jutsu.

 _She was the real one …_

Kakashi stabbed him. Yuiko clasped onto Kakashi's wrist, infusing him with her jutsu. He phased through Noboru, releasing the Lighting Cutter from his grasp as he did so. Noboru cried out. The pain was much worse than he could have imagined in this state. Even so, the gash didn't appear to affect his mobility. The blood that gushed out evaporated almost immediately into a red mist. He turned to look at the pair. They crouched a few feet back, panting. The signatures he felt before from the other clones had disappeared. His old teammates were running dangerously low on chakra. In the blink of an eye, Noboru was gone, reappearing in front of Kakashi.

"I know that you're normally the one who copies others," Noboru smirked, staring into Kakashi's widening eyes. "But what kind of student would I be if I didn't pick up anything from my teacher?!"

He shot his hand into Kakashi's gut. Seemingly in slow-motion, Kakashi began to shift through his hand to the side. Yuiko continued to push him away until he had finished phasing through Noboru. Kakashi fell to the ground, Yuiko smiling in relief as her chakra ran out. Noboru's hand skimmed her side, slicing her open. She hissed, clutching her wound as she crumpled to the ground. Blood trickled over her hands, and a large stain began to spread across her tunic. Noboru stared at her, having not moved an inch since his attempt to stab Kakashi.

' _We're going to have each other's backs, okay? Now and always.'_

"Shut up!"

Noboru slammed his hands against his head, backing away from the two of them. He opened his eyes to look at Yuiko. Kakashi knelt beside her, pulling gauze from one of his pouches to push against the gash. The blood spread within the gauze, turning it a bright crimson in an instant. Kakashi turned his attention back to Noboru and rose, drawing a kunai. He placed himself in front of Yuiko.

"Noboru, she's dying. Please, stop this."

Noboru lifted his hand angrily, a large spear appearing above his palm.

 _I'm not the one who made the wrong choice. I'm the one standing between_ _—_

Kakashi shifted, doing his best to block as much of Yuiko from view as possible. Noboru wrapped his fingers around the spear, fighting back the tremble in his hand.

 _I'm the one standing between the strong and the weak._

Kakashi's eyes were narrowed in determination. He knew that he could not save her; he knew that he could not save himself. A feeling like hatred bubbled up in Noboru's gut, but it wasn't directed at the pair before him. He recognized it as regret. He panicked, his agitation rising when he realized that he couldn't push it away.

"I'm going to finish this!" Noboru screamed, his voice rising. "You won't stop me! I won't let everything I've done be for nothing!"

Noboru threw the spear. Kakashi braced himself.

 _Naruto … Sakura … I hope that I did my part to keep this man from destroying our home. Please … make it back alive and keep fighting for the sake of Konoha and what it represents …_

He closed his eyes.

"Rasengan!"

The swirling blue orb hit the spear with a loud 'clink!'

The spear went off-kilter, whizzing by them with a thud. Stunned, Kakashi turned to see Naruto standing in front of him.

 _That … idiot!_

"Kakashi-Sensei!"

Sakura appeared through the dust cloud and ran up to them. She knelt next to Yuiko in concern. "Here, let me see …"

Kakashi's eye twitched. He looked back and forth between his two students. "Now I could be imagining things, but didn't we share a touching moment back there where I told you two to get out of here and warn the village?"

Naruto faced Noboru; a shadow clone had appeared and was aiding him in the creation of another rasengan. "Yeah, well, we figured the best way for the village to be safe is if this guy was dealt with. And it's not like we'd let you do that alone, Kakashi-Sensei. Right, Sakura?"

Kakashi glared at Sakura. She chuckled nervously. "It was Naruto's idea. But I suppose I didn't really protest—"

In a flash, Noboru appeared face-to-face with Kakashi. Naruto gasped, scrambling to turn about as his clone hastily tried to finish the rasengan.

"You being here," Noboru hissed, raising his right arm, "only reminds me of things that aren't important. A distraction from my goal. You and that stupid saying of yours."

 _A shinobi who breaks the rules is scum; but a shinobi who betrays their friends is worse than scum._

Noboru kept his eyes fixed on Kakashi's as he pierced his chest.

"Kakashi!" Yuiko screamed.

Kakashi continued to look into Noboru's eyes. Confused, Noboru looked down to see that his right arm had crumbled into ash against Kakashi's torso. He stepped back, stunned. Naruto and his clone quickly leapt away, eyeing him curiously. The red aura around Noboru began to fade. A dark patch materialized on his chest and quickly spread outward to cover his body. His eyes remained white but his hair changed to a burnt black. As he moved, his skin cracked, revealing glowing red underneath.

"What is this? WHAT IS THIS?! This isn't … this isn't part of it …"

He fell onto his back with a gasp. His breath rattled in his chest. Steam billowed from the red clefts in his cracked skin.

"Miss Yuiko! You shouldn't be moving!" Sakura yelled.

Kakashi turned to see Yuiko stumble toward them. As she reached Noboru she fell to her knees, blood still dripping from her side. She gently lifted up his head, ash floating away from his skin as she moved him. She hunched over, touching her forehead to his. Tears dropped from her face and spattered into steam as they fell on his chin.

"Why ..?"

Noboru's voice was nearly unrecognizable. It sounded hollow and dry, like wind blowing through a cave in the desert. Yuiko took a shuddering breath. She didn't sound much better.

"You're … my family …"

.

* * *

.

"Help me up! I want to see!"

Noboru picked his sister up and helped her get seated on the ledge. Tomiko was three years his junior, but she had a habit of bossing him around like an older sibling. It didn't help how soft his parents were on her, either. Not only was she the youngest at five, but being the only girl meant that his mother finally had someone to spoil with lavish robes and hair decorations. Not that it did much good, since Tomiko whined when her hair wasn't short and had a tendency to tear her robes from running around the estate.

A hand reached out and ruffled Noboru's hair. He looked up at his mother, who smiled sweetly down at him. He returned the smile and looked back over the edge, where he could see the main road twisting off into the distance beyond the city wall.

"Look, there they are!" he shouted, pointing toward the road.

A caravan became visible on the other side of the wall and slowly started to make its way off from the city. The three of them watched as the caravan carrying his father and older brother became a speck on the horizon.

"I'm bored!" Tomiko cried. She leapt down from the ledge and pulled on her brother's robes. "Let's go play swords! Come on, please?!"

Noboru ruffled her hair like his mother had done to him a moment before. "Not now, okay? Maybe in a little bit."

Tomiko pouted, furrowing her brow over her large, deep purple eyes. Noboru couldn't help but to smile. He pulled her head toward his until their foreheads touched.

"You're practicing numbers, right? Go down to the courtyard and count to one hundred. I'll be there."

She looked at him skeptically, annoyed that he was assigning her a task. She let out a huff and walked past him. She turned around suddenly, pointing at him.

"You better be! If you're not, you're in big trouble!"

She flung back around, continuing down the walkway to the stairs. Noboru and his mother made eye contact, stifling their laughter as his sister stormed away. Noboru looked out again at the caravan that was now scarcely visible in the distance. His mother placed her hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to worry about them, Noboru. The shinobi of Konohagakure will do a fine job protecting them on their journey. The people of the shinobi village owe your father a great debt."

Noboru nodded solemnly. His village had been lucky enough to not see many effects of the war aside from a dip in trade. Even so, he had overheard terrible things about what was going on in other parts of the region from the shinobi assigned to his father's guard.

His father had been called out to oversee the receiving of a large shipment of goods from down the coast. Since his older brother was heir to the Takahashi business, his father insisted that he come along as well.

His parents had complete faith in the shinobi of Konoha to keep them safe. Logically, he knew that there was little need to worry. But as the caravan finally vanished over the horizon, he secretly prayed that he would be able to see them again.

—

Noboru picked up the wooden tiger, plowing it into the short wall of blocks at his side.

"Hey!" Tomiko shouted. She scolded him angrily as she rebuilt the wall, much to Noboru's amusement. He picked up some blocks to help her rebuild when he heard a muffled shout and a thud from down the hall. He stopped, listening as a set of footsteps thundered toward them. His mother snapped open the paper door, her auburn hair falling partially out of its bun and her robes disheveled. The two children looked at her with alarm. She crossed the room, turning off the light before heading back to the door.

"The two of you don't open this door for anyone, do you understand?! Hide! And don't come out!"

She quickly slid the door closed behind her. Noboru and his sister exchanged a glance.

"Momma?" Tomiko whispered.

More footsteps and shouting erupted down the hall. Torchlight filled the hallway, and he could see his mother's shadow against the door. Out of nowhere, a figure appeared behind his mother. He heard a muffled gasp followed by a guttural croak as her silhouette collapsed to the floor.

"Momma?" Tomiko whispered again. She rose and started making her way to the door. Noboru wanted to stop her, but his body wouldn't move. He watched as the shadows of two large figures approached from the other side.

"Do we have word on the convoy assault on the head of this family?"

"Not yet. They were better guarded since they were receiving supplies for the war. We'll need to hold here until we receive orders."

"Fine with me. These guys are one of the families helping to bankroll Konohagakure, right? The more time we have to fill our own pockets, the better."

The door slid open. Tomiko looked miniscule compared to the two shinobi who stood before her. But she looked past them, into the hallway.

"Momma!"

She ran between them, out of Noboru's sight. He was still unable to bring himself to move. He could hear his sister wailing in the corridor, begging their mother to get up. He raised his eyes to the two men.

"Take care of her," the one on the right said. The shinobi holding the torched turned and walked out, the room growing darker as the light faded. The man who remained pulled out a kunai, stepping casually toward Noboru. The boy sat watching him get closer, listening to his sister's screams echoing from the hall.

Suddenly, they stopped.

The silence was deafening. Tears flowed from his eyes as he continued to stare at the man. The shinobi was now within arm's reach, but he halted as he bent down toward Noboru. Noboru saw him turn his head, his lips moving as he spoke to the other shinobi in the hall. His expression grew concerned as he straightened and ran back toward the door. A figure leapt from the side, stabbing the man in the neck. He fell, his blood splattering against the walls. The assailant pulled his face mask down, revealing himself to be Hajime, the leader of his father's shinobi guard. Hajime crossed the room to Noboru, putting his hands on his shoulders and studying him with his jet black eyes. Noboru could see his lips moving, but couldn't register any sound. Hajime looked concerned, but turned as a member of his team got his attention from the doorway. His face grew dark and he gave Noboru's shoulder a squeeze before rising and crossing to the door. Noboru watched him speaking with someone, and pointing at him before walking out of sight. Noboru's father and older brother emerged in the doorway. They ran toward him, pulling him into a tight embrace. He relaxed his hand, the wooden blocks he was holding onto clunking against the floor. The other sounds of the scene around him amplified back into his existence. He could hear his brother sobbing quietly while his father held onto the two of them, mumbling incoherently.

"I'm sorry, Noboru. I'm so sorry. We never thought they would … I should have left more guards ... she was so small. Why do that to a child?"

Noboru buried his head in his brother's chest and screamed.


	14. Chapter 14

"Well … I guess your father gave the okay, but I think you're going to regret it."

Noboru and the shinobi guard Hajime stood alone in the courtyard, the afternoon sun beating down on their backs. Noboru raised his fists in front of his face, making a wide stance. Hajime shifted uncomfortably.

"There's a lot more to being a shinobi than learning how to fight," he said. "Chakra control is most important, and then of course there are the different types of jutsu. You'll be starting to learn this at an age much older than the kids in Konoha. To finish your training, you'll have to leave your family here and train at the academy before you can go on missions. You could be gone for a number of years, so keep that in mind."

The look of determination didn't leave Noboru's face. Hajime had been afraid of that. Noboru's father had agreed to allow his son to train as a shinobi, but to Hajime it seemed like the poor man was only going through the motions after the loss of his wife and daughter. He probably would have agreed to his son becoming a circus clown at this point. And the boy worried him; he was able to smile and laugh again in the months following the incident, but it seemed hollow and ingenuine compared to how he had seen the boy act before. It was clear that he wanted revenge — but on whom? The men who attacked the town and his family were dead, and the war was finally at a stage where things were beginning to die down. He couldn't foresee a scenario where things could end well.

"What is it that you're after, Noboru?"

Noboru straightened up and beamed at him. Hajime was taken aback— he couldn't say that this was the reaction that he was expecting. Noboru gave him a thumb-up. "I'm going to protect the people! And not just the ones in this village ... I'm going to become a great shinobi and stop the killing of innocents any way I can! No matter how far I'll have to go, I'm going to do it!"

Hajime smirked.

 _The boy is shooting for the moon, but I suspect he's not the first shinobi hopeful to do so._

"Hmph. Have it your way. Let's start on your stance; what you were doing before was a joke."

.

* * *

.

"That was a joke, right? You can do better than that."

"Shut up! I almost have it."

Noboru reached for the bell, but Kakashi vanished as his fingers brushed the object. The subject today was taijutsu — an area that Noboru was severely lacking in. Kakashi figured that the bell exercise would be a good motivator to help Noboru practice for the upcoming Chūnin Exams. Unfortunately, they weren't making much progress.

"I'm sure you learned more techniques at the academy," Kakashi said casually, "you'll need to utilize more of them to gain the upper hand on your opponent."

Noboru looked oddly thoughtful. He turned to Kakashi with a serious look on his face. "Well … there is one technique. But I'm afraid to use it. The power behind it could be more than you could handle."

Kakashi scoffed. "This isn't time for games. You need to take this seriously."

 _Oh … this will be serious,_ Noboru thought.

Noboru leapt at Kakashi with fresh determination. Kakashi was still able to block each blow, but he needed to concentrate much harder than before.

 _Noboru … you can be quite impressive when you want to be. You like to hide how much thought and effort you actually put into those techniques of yours. As laid back as you seem on the surface, you're really working twice as hard as everyone else. I've grown to respect you a lot more than I'll admit._

Noboru vanished. Kakashi looked down, seeing that the bell was still attached to his belt.

 _Where did he ..?_

"Secret Finger Jutsu: One Thousand Years of Death!"

Kakashi turned his head to look around. Noboru stood behind him, the index and middle fingers of his hands pushed together.

"Huh? What are you- AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

—

"If you tell anyone about that —"

Noboru laughed, swinging the small bell around in circles from the string he held between his fingers. They walked along the river that cut through the village, orange light reflecting off its surface as the sun started to set.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't want to tarnish your precious reputation."

Kakashi glowered at him. Noboru cheerfully swung his arm around Kakashi's shoulders. "Hey man, you need to learn to loosen up a little! Which reminds me about the side effects of that attack … You might want to pick up some prune juice on the way home."

"This isn't funny."

"Oh, it's a little funny."

Kakashi's eye twitched. Noboru swiftly removed his arm from his shoulders. Kakashi stopped, blocking Noboru's path. Noboru held his palms up.

"Hey man, I surrender! I'm sure that you know about a million ways to kill me, but I'm going to ask that you be a pal and show some restraint, OK? Kakashi … Sensei?"

Kakashi raised his head, his eye gleaming with murderous intent. He clasped onto Noboru's shoulders. Noboru let out a startled yelp.

Kakashi's eye narrowed. "Teach me."

"Eh?!"

"Teach me that technique."

"I thought you were the copy ninja."

"I was preoccupied at the time."

Noboru snorted. Kakashi laughed and the two of them continued together down the road.

.

* * *

.

Noboru was painfully aware of his organs turning into ash. He didn't have much time.

"I was so certain that I was helping you," he whispered. "That I was going to save you — that I was going to save every forgotten soul in this world."

He looked away from Yuiko, shifting his gaze to meet Kakashi's. "I guess I was too full of myself to see that I messed up. I was trying to fix a broken system by shattering it into a thousand pieces. When you looked at me and said that you didn't even know me …"

Noboru breathed in sharply, his remaining arm falling to the ground with a soft thud.

"I didn't want to think about it ... All I wanted was for you to vanish so I wouldn't have to. So I wouldn't be reminded that I took the wrong path."

He looked back at Yuiko, his hair turning to dust against her fingers as he moved his head.

"I'm sorry, Yuiko. I tried to break every tie to Konoha that you worked so hard to build … but the only thing I accomplished was forcing your hand to break your connection with me. To let me destroy myself so that your other bonds wouldn't be broken."

Yuiko held his gaze, her lip quivering. The glowing red cracks in his skin began to fade in color. His eyes were starting to turn grey.

"Yuiko, I want you to be home again. I want you to be surrounded by people who you care about. For once, I'm going to stop being an asshole and want the same things for you that you've wanted for yourself. I'd give you a thumbs-up, but, well, you know ..." He feebly waved what was left of his arms in front of him.

Yuiko smiled. Noboru grinned in return. All of the light faded from his eyes. His body crumpled to ashes in Yuiko's arms.

—

Yuiko fell onto her side. Every part of her body suddenly felt incredibly heavy. She couldn't even find the strength to lift her head.

"Yuiko!"

Kakashi knelt down, partially lifting her up. Sakura and Naruto came closer, Sakura also falling to her knees to get a better look.

"Kakashi-Sensei … I'll keep trying, but the wound is deep, and I don't think —"

Kakashi held up a hand to silence her. Sakura dropped her eyes to the ground. Naruto clenched his fists.

"What are you waiting for?! We need to get her to the hospital! If we don't, she's going to —"

Kakashi looked up at him. Naruto stopped. The look in his eyes was a mixture of desperation and sadness that Naruto hadn't known his stoic teacher was capable of. It reminded Naruto of the time Sakura had begged him to bring Sasuke back to her. Back then, he had been able to make Sakura feel better by telling her with confidence that he would succeed. But now, he was beginning to share in his sensei's feeling of complete helplessness. Sakura rose and placed her hand on Naruto's arm. She was met with little resistance when she pulled him away from the scene.

Kakashi watched the two of them walk away for a moment before looking back down at Yuiko. She was starkly pale, her eyes partially closed. She watched his two students as they left.

"I'm … so glad that you could find something to bring you out of the darkness."

Kakashi bowed his head, tightly closing his eyes. For so long he had lived in his memories of them. Over and over he would see Obito buried underground. Rin's face as blood dripped from her mouth. Noboru's body at the morgue. Yuiko's photo in the Bingo Book. It took him years to push those feelings down, to make peace with them being gone, to find a semblance of himself again when Team 7 was formed. But he had still failed them. Sasuke abandoned the village, almost killing Naruto in the process. Despite his own achievements, Kakashi seemed to fail at every turn when it came to helping his comrades. He couldn't save Obito, or Rin. He couldn't dissuade Sasuke from leaving. He couldn't stop Noboru from destroying himself. And now he can't stop Yuiko from dying for his sake.

 _I don't deserve this. I don't deserve to be saved …_

"Kakashi …"

He opened his eyes. Yuiko looked up at him, a weak smile on her face.

"I'm happy I was able to see you. Noboru wanted me to be home again. And that's how … you make me feel."

A tear slid down his face.

"Yuiko —"

She closed her eyes, and her chest became still.


	15. Chapter 15

" _Now, now … What kind of trouble have you gotten into?"_

 _What ... Who's there?_

" _Have you really forgotten about me already? I don't recall raising you to be so rude."_

 _K-Kokuō?_

" _It took me a while to regain some chakra after that seal was released … But honestly, did you have to almost get us killed during that time?"_

Yuiko opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry, but when it finally cleared she found that she was staring at a white ceiling.

"Have a nice nap?"

She turned her head to see Kakashi sitting casually at the window, his face in a book. She sat up, looking around what seemed to be an average hospital room. Kakashi snapped his book closed.

"I better go let them know you're awake. There's some water by the bed if you need it."

Yuiko watched Kakashi cross the room, shutting the door behind him. She looked over at the nightstand near the bed where a glass, a pitcher of water, and a vase of lilies sat. Gingerly lifting the sheet aside, she swung her feet onto the cold tile floor. Her legs protested slightly as she rose from the bed, but she was able to make her way to the window, looking out into the night.

 _Konoha …_

Her throat became tight. It had been so long since she had seen it … any of it …

She turned at the sound of the door opening. A blonde woman walked in, followed by a woman with black hair holding a clipboard flanking her on one side, and Kakashi on the other. It took Yuiko a few seconds to remember, but the blonde woman was definitely …

"L-Lady Tsunade! I mean— Lady Hokage!"

She bowed, flustered.

 _The Hokage is here already?! This can't be good._

Tsunade's feet came into view. Yuiko raised her head and flinched when she came face-to-face with the Hokage.

"Lift up your arms," Tsunade said bluntly.

"Huh?"

"Come on, I know the injury you sustained wasn't to your ears. Lift them up!"

Yuiko obliged. Tsunade began to inspect the bandages wrapped around her torso.

"Shizune, when were her bandages last replaced?"

"Last night, Lady Tsunade," the woman with the clipboard replied.

"Hmph."

Tsunade circled around her. "I guess what they say about the Uzumaki clan is true. She seems to heal at a similar rate to Naruto. But I'll still need to take a look at the laceration to make sure it isn't infected. Shizune, please help me in removing her bandages. And you—"

She looked over to Kakashi. "Get out."

"Oh, uh, sure," Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, backing out of the room. After the door was closed, the two women worked to take off the bandages.

"He's been at the hospital for almost five days waiting for you to wake up. I don't even know if he's been eating," Tsunade said casually.

Yuiko looked pointedly at the floor. When she raised her eyes, she saw that Tsunade was staring at her again. Yuiko gazed back at her anxiously. Tsunade sighed, bringing her attention back to the fading bruise at Yuiko's side. "Amazing … You would never have guessed that she had a huge chunk taken out of her."

Shizune seemed to be furiously taking notes on her clipboard. Yuiko wasn't sure why, but it made her nervous.

Tsunade grabbed something from a nearby shelf, handing Yuiko a plain shirt woven from soft cloth. "Cover yourself up and sit back down. You're healing up well, but I still want you on bed rest."

Yuiko nodded, pulling the shirt over her head and getting back into bed. The experience reminded her of being scolded by her grandfather when she was a child. Tsunade nodded curtly to Shizune, who collected the bandages and left the room. Tsunade pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat, crossing her legs and interlacing her fingers over her knee. She regarded Yuiko coolly. "The council meeting concerning what to do with you will be held shortly, now that you're awake. I just wanted a chance to meet you first before I make a decision."

Yuiko looked at her nervously, bunching up the sheets in her hands. Tsunade tilted her head slightly to the side. "I've been briefed on the encounter with Noboru Takahashi. To verify the claims we had no choice but to exhume the body. To our surprise ... we did only find the remains to a right hand. We also followed up on the insistence from Kakashi that there were rogue shinobi lying in wait to attack a number of our shinobi in the field. We didn't round up all of them, but caught nearly a fifth of the names in the Bingo Book. Joining a group that was promising to topple the shinobi level of hierarchy seemed to have been quite appealing to more than a few. We found that not all of them knew Noboru by name, but many of them were able to positively identify him based on the photos we have on file."

Tsunade regarded Yuiko for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. "However, there is no evidence to suggest that what we've been told is entirely true. It's possible that you and Noboru worked together all those years ago to steal the scroll. And perhaps the two of you had a falling out, which led to you killing him so you could return with a plausible explanation for your betrayal of the village."

Yuiko moved to speak, but Tsunade held up her hand. "On the other hand, I've also been collecting statements of your character to test this possibility. Kakashi gave a report, of course, and considering his position in the village and the length of your relationship, it carries considerable weight. I've also collected statements from Naruto and Sakura, but taking into account that they had only interacted with you for less than 24 hours can make it a hard sell to the council. Luckily for you, there is someone else who happens to be in the village at the moment who will testify on your character, and whose opinion I highly value."

Yuiko furrowed her brow. _Who_ _is she talking about? And why be so vague?_

Tsunade stood, pulling the chair away from the bed. She put a hand on her hip and smiled. Yuiko was taken aback by the gesture.

"I believe your story, Yuiko."

 _Wait ... really?_ Yuiko opened her mouth, promptly closing it to avoid pressing her luck.

"... Considering the power you had at your disposal," Tsunade continued, "and the fact that you never used it against us doesn't hurt. That, and you kept it out of the hands of someone bent on using it to destroy the village. Well, up until the end anyway."

Tsunade made her way to the door. "I'm keeping you here under observation for at least another week. After that, we'll figure out what to do with you. Is that understood?"

Yuiko nodded.

Tsunade smiled, satisfied. "I'm glad I got to speak with you, Yuiko. Getting a sense of who you are is important. I can see why your acquaintances are so favorable of you."

 _I never even said a word …_

Tsunade opened the door and walked out, her footsteps fading. After a pause, Yuiko could hear her voice from down the hall.

"Yes, yes, you can go in … "

Naruto and Sakura appeared in the doorway. Kakashi followed behind as his students rushed excitedly to her bedside. Sakura began to ask her how she was feeling when Naruto shouted over her.

"So your name is Yuiko _Uzumaki_?! Why didn't you tell me! Are we related?!"

"Uh, no … " Yuiko said with a chuckle. "Not that I know of, anyway."

The answer didn't seem to faze the boy in the slightest. "So do you know other Uzumakis? Where are they from? Did you know my parents?!"

"Um, no, I don't know any others … but they used to be in Uzushiogakure. And I did know —"

"Hey Naruto, quit pestering her with questions. Tsunade didn't put her on bed rest as a way for you to corner her, you know."

Yuiko glanced to the other side of the room where a man with long white hair was leaning casually on the doorframe. Jiraiya smirked, crossing his arms. A pitcher of water suddenly crashed above his head. Naruto and Sakura looked on in shock as Yuiko stood on the bed, ready to throw the nightstand she held above her. Kakashi chuckled nervously as he caught the flowers and glass that slid off. Two members of the Anbu appeared in the room with a flash. Jiraiya stepped forward with a smile, putting his palms up. "Now, now, gentlemen, no need to worry! We're just having a friendly chat! My hands just slipped when pouring a glass of water. Right, Yuiko?"

Yuiko's eyebrow twitched. She reluctantly put down the nightstand.

"Let's … give them some privacy," Kakashi said with a chuckle. He ushered Naruto and Sakura out of the room, the Anbu members following after a curt exchange with Jiraiya. The Anbu slid the door closed behind them, flanking either side of the door. Kakashi could hear the muffled sound of Yuiko shouting angrily on the other side.

 _I figured the two of them would have it out … wasn't expecting it to be so soon though._

"Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura chirped.

"Hmm?"

Kakashi looked down at his students. Sakura looked worried.

"Miss Yuiko … She's going to be okay, right? She's not going to be locked up or anything, right?"

Kakashi scratched the side of his face thoughtfully. "No … I don't think you need to worry about that. She'll probably be under supervision for a while, but I think the Hokage is leaning toward a full pardon."

 _As long as she doesn't kill Jiraiya._

Sakura looked relieved before letting out a long yawn. Kakashi placed his hand on her head.

"Why don't you head home?" he said. "It's getting late. Yuiko will still be here tomorrow if you want to come back."

Sakura nodded and bid them goodnight as she dashed out the door. Naruto and Kakashi sat down at a nearby bench. Kakashi pulled out his book and the two of them sat in silence for a few minutes. Naruto had an uncharacteristically thoughtful look on his face.

"Kakashi-Sensei, can you do something for me?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"Can you tell Yuiko that I said goodbye? I've decided to leave with Pervy Sage to do my training. I figured that it wouldn't hurt for me to get stronger. After what happened, I don't want Sasuke to end up the same as Noboru. He had been your friend once, right?"

Kakashi exhaled deeply, lowering his book.

"Why don't you tell her yourself?" Jiraiya said.

They looked up as Jiraiya walked toward them. Kakashi had to admit that he felt a little grateful for the interruption.

"Visiting hours are technically over," Jiraiya smirked, "but it's not like they'll kick out a kid, right?"

Naruto's face lit up, the boy becoming a streak of orange as he dashed down the hall.

Kakashi looked away from Naruto's retreating figure, glancing at Jiraiya. "It looks like you're in one piece. Did things go well?"

Jiraiya shrugged, cleaning out his ear with his pinky finger. "Probably as good as they're going to get. Did the kid tell you we were leaving?"

Kakashi nodded.

Jiraiya let out a long yawn. "It's about time. Took him a couple months to come around. I guess I owe Yuiko that much, at least."

He tucked his hands behind his head and walked out of the hospital. Kakashi followed him out, but turned just outside the entrance to walk alongside the building. He looked up at the windows and stopped about halfway around the courtyard. He casually stepped up onto to the wall and began to walk up the side. At the top window, he crouched down to peek in. Kakashi spotted Naruto enthusiastically waving goodbye to Yuiko before closing the door behind him. He reached out and gently tapped his knuckle on the window. Yuiko got up to undo the lock and slid it open for him.

"You should go home, Kakashi. Lady Tsunade said I'm going to be alright," Yuiko said.

She backed away as Kakashi wordlessly made himself comfortable on the windowsill. She sat down on the bed with a worried look on her face as he opened up his book again.

Kakashi found his place, casually folding up the neat earmark on the page. "It's not every day that someone I knew comes back from the dead. You can't blame me for being a little cautious."

Yuiko fell silent. After minute Kakashi turned to look at her. He was startled to see her staring at him with an odd expression on her face.

"What?"

"Are you … reading _Make-Out Paradise_?"

"I … uh …" Kakashi blushed, "want to know how the story ends."

Yuiko laughed. Kakashi looked away, slightly embarrassed. "It's not _that_ funny …"

Yuiko started to laugh even harder, her shoulders shaking as she buried her face in her hands. Kakashi smiled. He hadn't felt this way since Team 7 had been split up.

' _I'm happy I was able to see you. Noboru wanted me to be home again. And that's how … you make me feel.'_

Yuiko's words repeated in his head as he watched her. It made it easier for him to fully understand Naruto's devotion to bringing Sasuke back. He couldn't describe the feeling of seeing someone who he cared about, who he thought could be lost forever, suddenly return as if nothing had changed. He had grown so accustomed to loss that he had almost forgotten the joy of finding something.

 _It's a good feeling, coming home._

.

* * *

.

A/N: And so the first arc of this story comes to a close. Thank you to everyone who's been reading/following/reviewing this story! Posts for this story will continue as normal next week as it starts to align with the Shippuden storyline (which will be AU, since there will be differences based on the effects Noboru and Yuiko's existence have made to the world). I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that over 99% of you are familiar with the Shippuden canon story, so much of what will be happening later on will be from the POV of characters (mainly Yuiko, with some canon characters thrown in there) in situations that weren't shown in the show (with occasional overlap when it makes sense, but not too much). I'm pretty excited to start expanding into some other characters, since writing for most of them is a lot of fun (There will be a lot more Jiraiya. Writing him is a hoot). I hope everyone continues to have just as much fun reading this story as I've had writing it, and again, THANK YOU!


	16. Chapter 16

Naruto yawned, stretching his arms above his head as he made his way up the metal stairs along the building. His first day back in the village in almost three years had been a long one: He had spent half of his day catching up with a few old friends, and the rest consisted of a strenuous exercise in which he and Sakura had to best Kakashi in another bell test. He had just wrapped up dinner with Iruka and was looking forward to nothing more than getting nice and cozy in his own bed. He expected his apartment to be in rough shape after almost three years away, but it was nothing he wasn't used to. He unlocked the door, turned the handle, and flipped the light switch on his way in. His brain didn't register that the light was already on.

"Ah, home sweet home!"

He took a couple of steps into the apartment.

"The old place hasn't changed a —"

He froze, his eyes moving about the apartment. It was … _clean_. The living room was furnished with a small table, rug, chairs, a bookshelf, a couch, and new curtains on the windows. The fridge in the kitchen was new, and a few more appliances had been added to boot. He made his way to the fridge and opened it. It was filled with fresh fruit, vegetables, and meats. He stared at it, dumbfounded. He turned around to see a figure standing in the hallway. The basket of laundry Yuiko had been holding fell to the floor with a 'thump'. She stood in her pajamas, her hair thrown up in a messy bun.

"N-Naruto?!"

"Eh?"

Yuiko crossed the room in a flash, squeezing the air out of his lungs as she lifted him up into a hug. "Naruto! When did you get back?! This is so exciting! I'm sure you learned so much during your training!"

Naruto gasped for air, grabbing onto her shoulders and pushing her back. "Um, Yuiko —"

"Oh, I know, let me make you some tea! Are you hungry?"

"Uh, no, I already ate. Hey, why are you —?"

"Oh, of course! I forgot how late it is. I have the sheets for your bed folded up in the closet — hold on, let me go put them on."

She walked down the hall, scooping up the laundry. He could hear her humming from his bedroom.

 _Am I going crazy?_

Naruto walked hesitantly down the hall, afraid of what he was going to see at the end of it. He stepped into his room and looked about in awe.

Everything was the same as he left it — well, it was actually much cleaner, but basically the same. The potted plant in the corner had grown a few inches, and the empty containers of milk and instant ramen had disappeared. Yuiko finished tucking in the sheets and gestured grandly toward the bed.

"Ta-da! Good as new, right?" she said cheerfully.

"Uh, yeah."

"What's the matter?"

"Um, it's just …"

Naruto suddenly recalled a conversation he once had with Jiraiya.

' _Listen, kid. Sometimes women get these ideas in their heads and they can't just let it go. A guy like me, for example, has plenty of women who come out of the woodwork trying to tame this wild stallion. I mean, all I did was tell them ONE TIME that their love was my one and only desire and that my life had no meaning until they were in it, and all of a sudden they think we're inseparable or something! Women are mysterious creatures, kid …"_

"Well, uh, maybe you got the wrong idea back at the hospital," he said hesitantly.

"Huh? The hospital?"

"Yeah, I mean, I meant it when I said that I hoped I'd get to know you better when I got back, but not in _that_ way."

Yuiko tilted her head slightly to the side. "Oh … I don't really remember much of that conversation, I'm afraid. But anyway, I'm glad you don't seem to mind that I moved in here while you were away. There was a housing shortage since the village was still rebuilding after Orochimaru destroyed so much of it, and Lady Tsunade suggested that I move in here. I did my best to keep your room just as you left it, but I did need to clean out the spare bedroom. I tried not to throw anything away that seemed important. It was mostly just styrofoam noodle cups."

"What? You mean the 'trash closet'?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"That's ... That's what you called it?" Yuiko said, looking aghast.

Naruto walked down the hall, opening the door to the spare bedroom. "Whoa! This room is way bigger than I thought it was!"

The spare bedroom was about half the size of his own. It was furnished modestly with a bed, a desk, and a chair. Purple curtains blew lazily in the breeze of a small window. On one wall hung framed pictures of Yuiko, Noboru, and Kakashi from when they were younger. There was also a picture of a blonde man and a woman with long, red hair.

"Wow. You, uh … really made yourself at home here, huh?"

"Mmhmm!" Yuiko nodded happily.

"I really appreciate you looking after the place while I've been away," Naruto said, rolling a pencil on the desk around. "It looks great! And I'm more than happy to help you find your own place now that I'm back."

"Oh, that's not happening."

"Huh?" Naruto said, whipping his head around to stare at her.

Yuiko smiled sweetly. "You're only a kid! It was bad enough that the village had you living on your own in the first place. I don't know how you didn't die of malnutrition, considering that your diet consisted solely of instant ramen and milk. And the state of this place! You seriously had a 'trash closet.'"

"Yeah, but —"

She held up a finger. "It's probably around your bedtime, right? How about you get some rest? We'll talk about it in the morning — that should give me plenty of time to put together a Chore Wheel."

"A _what_? And 'bedtime'? Hey, this is seriously —"

She pushed him out of her room and down the hallway. "I'll knock when it's time for breakfast, okay?"

"Hey, wait!" Naruto protested as they reached his room.

"Goodnight!" Yuiko chirped, grabbing the doorknob. "I'm so happy that you're back!"

She closed the door of his bedroom. Naruto sat on the bed, bewildered. He laid down, staring at the ceiling.

 _Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and this all will have been a bad dream._

He was pretty tired— maybe he was delusional? At least he hoped so.

Naruto reached over to his nightstand, picking up the photo of Team 7. He looked at the picture fondly.

 _In any case, I'm back now. And I can finally start working on bringing you back home, Sasuke._

—

Yuiko sat on the small windowsill of her room, looking down at the street below.

 _Jiraiya was supposed to write to me when they were coming back._

Oh well. What's done is done. She had hoped to be a little better prepared for when he got back. Maybe a cake? Or at least she would have worn clothes that weren't pajamas covered in kittens. She looked over at the pictures on the wall, her gaze lingering on the one of the smiling couple. The picture was worn— its edges were crinkled and a large crease ran through the center where it had been folded. Minato and Kushina were still easily visible, cheerfully looking back at her. She smiled.

"I'm going—"

Yuiko's smile wavered as she stared at the picture. "I'm going to do better."

She gave a slight nod before looking up at the night sky.


	17. Chapter 17

"You're walking too slowly. Keep up," her grandfather snapped.

Yuiko turned her attention away from the cloth merchant sitting on the side of the road and jogged to catch up. The small village was bustling with activity due to the caravan of merchants heading south through the region. The number of areas touched by war seemed to be increasing with every passing day. Her grandfather was unfazed when Yuiko asked him about it earlier. Despite all the rumors, he said, there was no discernible reason for any enemy shinobi forces to make their way this far into the mountains. Yuiko once again came to a stop as they left the village. About half a dozen children were laughing freely as they kicked a ball between them. A boy around Yuiko's age paused when he noticed her watching.

"Hey! You wanna play?"

Yuiko flinched. She looked back to her grandfather, who was briskly making his way down the road, seemingly unaware that she has stopped following. But Yuiko knew better than to think that was the case. She shook her head, then tightened her grip on her knapsack as she jogged down the road to catch up with him. Her grandfather didn't allow her to talk to the village children — or to anyone, for that matter. The two of them traveled from place to place, hopping around various countries to keep out of range of the war. Even before the war, when Yuiko was very young, they still traveled extensively. Her grandfather seemed to be almost obsessed with the concept of 'staying ahead of the enemy.' But who 'the enemy' was, Yuiko had no clue.

The road split off to a steep trail disappearing into the pines. After a short while, the small shack which they called home came into view. When they reached the shack, Yuiko unloaded the contents of her knapsack onto the barren floor, unpacking all of the wares her grandfather had bought at the market. When she had finished organizing the dried meat and rice, she joined her grandfather out front. He stood pensively on the lip of the cliff that jutted out a few yards from their shack. His long hair flowed and coiled in the air from the brisk mountain wind rushing up at them. Yuiko approached him and looked down over the side, getting a good view of the people scurrying about the village below. She could still make out the group of children playing on the outskirts. She looked up at her grandfather, an imposing figure even to those who weren't as small as her. He was a tall man, with sharp features accented by a meticulously trimmed beard. His mustache used to have a dab of red, but the color had faded to white to match the rest of his hair a few years ago. She flinched when his eyes flicked over to her.

"Go do your warm-up exercises," he said. "I will join you shortly."

She nodded and walked back past the shack and to a clearing that had been outfitted with a handful of training posts. She exhaled, and began doing a series of katas to warm up her muscles. As she moved, she closed her eyes, feeling the flow of chakra through her body. Her grandfather had Yuiko experimenting with her chakra flow for years now, moving it throughout her body to different areas and observing the effects. Normally, this type of chakra control was used to reinforce an area to make it tougher. He told her once of a woman he had met who could channel chakra into her fists, giving her the ability to break open the very earth she stood on.

Yuiko, unfortunately, didn't seem to have this talent. As soon as too much chakra pooled into one of her limbs, she would lose the ability to control it — the nerves would simply stop responding, and she would be left with a handicap. She could tell that this had frustrated her grandfather to no end, and for a few days after the discovery she kept her head down as he barked orders at her during training. But one day he uncharacteristically pensive. He wanted her to try something new: Instead of pooling chakra into a limb, what if she took it away? Not entirely, of course, since pulling out all the chakra in any body part would cause the flesh to decay. And so she concentrated on moving the chakra away from her right leg as much as she could. They were shocked when her foot began to sink into the ground. Yuiko pulled up her leg in a panic and asked her grandfather if she was doing something wrong.

"No, this is something very intriguing," he'd said, "a skill I have not witnessed before. This could become something very useful. Good work."

Yuiko had beamed at the compliment. It wasn't often that her grandfather chose to praise her skills.

And so, every day since then, Yuiko's warm-up exercises included 'sparring' with the training post. But instead of striking it, she controlled the flow of chakra throughout her body so that her limbs would pass through the wood. After some time, her grandfather entered the clearing.

"Alright, Yuiko. Today we'll start off with fūinjutsu. You've mastered the technique to seal weapons, but now we're advancing to chakra. Pay close attention to the symbols I'm writing on this scroll …"

—

Yuiko awoke with a start. She sat up, noticing that her grandfather's bed roll was empty. She gasped as she noticed light coming through the window.

 _Grandfather is going to be so upset that I overslept!_

She started to put away her bedroll when she noticed something odd about the way the light shone on the wall. It appeared to flicker, and was much redder than normal sunlight. She stepped outside the shack, seeing that stars still filled the sky. But a thick haze appeared to be growing on the horizon. Her grandfather's figure stood silhouetted against the glowing sky, looking down over the cliff face. Yuiko joined him, then gasped at what she saw.

The village below them was engulfed in flames. She could make out figures moving frantically around the glowing buildings. Screams echoed throughout the mountains. She looked at her grandfather in alarm. He did not take his eyes off the scene.

"Go back to bed," he said. "They won't notice us up here. We're safe."

Yuiko looked back and forth from her grandfather to the horror below.

"Grandfather, can't we —"

"No."

Her grandfather turned to look at her then. The light from the fires below flickered across his face, giving him an infernal appearance. She cowered before him.

"This war does not involve us," he stated frankly. "You have a purpose to fulfill. I've spent far too much time cultivating you to fill that purpose for you to throw your life away for people you don't even know. You will go back into the house and go to sleep. Do you understand?"

Yuiko stared up at him, her hands trembling. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them away with the back of her sleeve, noticing that she also wiped away ash as she did so. A woman cried out below.

"The flames won't hurt me. I can just —"

Her grandfather grasped her hair in one hand. She let out a yelp of pain.

"Your life does not belong to you; you are not allowed to decide how you would like to risk it. I have made you what you are. I have given you your function, and your life will not be put at risk until you are ready to execute it."

He released her. Yuiko sobbed, holding the side of her head as she looked up at him. Something flashed in his eyes that she had never seen before. She could not describe what it was, but it added a twinge of sadness to the other feelings tumbling through her brain.

Yuiko lowered her eyes and ran back into the shack, throwing herself down on her bedroll. She covered her ears as she cried silently, doing her best to muffle out the occasional screams from the village. Something odd stirred within her, making her chakra shift in a way she'd never felt before.

" _Come here, child."_

 _Yuiko opened her eyes. She stood in a silent forest, but one she did not recognize. The trees were so tall that she couldn't see where they ended in the night sky. The grass was spongy, and littered with tiny, white flowers. She turned toward the voice and gaped in awe. A creature lay before her, tangled in a web of contorted tree branches. It seemed to be pinned to the ground, immobilized. Yuiko approached, amazed at how large the beast was. She was barely eye level with the snout on its long muzzle. It was pure white, with hints of yellow along the horns on its head and the tips of its tails. It regarded her curiously with its piercing blue eyes._

 _Although Yuiko had never seen it like this before, she recognized the beast's chakra._

" _You're the Five-Tails," she whispered._

 _The beast assessed her coolly. Yuiko took a step back. "I'm not supposed to talk to you."_

 _The creature shifted. Yuiko took another step back. One of the creature's tails slithered out from beneath the branches. It stopped a few feet short of Yuiko._

" _Lay down here, if you please. I won't bite," it said._

 _Yuiko balled her fists nervously. Her grandfather's voice echoed in her subconscious: 'Your life does not belong to you;_ _you are not allowed to decide how you would like to risk it.'_

 _She took a few steps forward and touched the beast's tail. It was soft, like the fur of a stray kitten she had pet once when traveling through a small village in the Land of Lightning. She sat, leaning her body against it. It was the most wonderful thing she had ever felt. She looked up into an eye that was almost as large as she was._

" _My name is Yuiko Uzumaki," she said._

 _The beast chuckled. "Yes, I know your name," it replied._

" _What's your name?"_

 _The beast didn't answer right away. Yuiko snuggled into its fur, running her fingers through the soft bristles. The creature seemed to smile._

" _My name is Kokuō," it replied._

" _That's a pretty name," Yuiko said. She yawned, her eyelids beginning to droop._

" _Would you like to hear a song?" it asked._

 _Yuiko nodded as enthusiastically as her tired body would allow. The sound of rustling leaves filled the air. At first, Yuiko couldn't make out anything resembling a song. But the more she listened, the more she could hear the sound of a melody. It was as if the trees themselves were singing her to sleep. She fell into a deep, peaceful slumber._

 _Kokuō looked at her tenderly, hoping that her song was enough to drown out the sounds of horror coming from the outside world._


	18. Chapter 18

An urgent knock came at the door. Minato looked up from his book, making eye contact with his wife, who was curled up beside him on the couch. It wasn't unusual for him to be called upon so late; he was the Hokage after all.

Kushina watched him cross to the other side of the room and open the door. An Anbu member wearing a tiger mask greeted him when he answered. They exchanged a few whispered remarks before Minato turned to look at her in surprise. Kushina stood up, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"What is it? What happened?" she asked.

"We need to go to the hospital," he replied, grabbing his cloak from the hook by the door. "A man collapsed on his way into the village. It sounds like he's not going to last much longer. He's asked to speak with me … and you."

"Waa?! Me? What for?"

"He says he knows you."

—

Kushina held the old man's hand gingerly. She felt a little guilty from her initial surprise that Ninigi Uzumaki hadn't died years ago. He had been an old man when he bid her farewell from Uzushiogakure when she was only a child. She had just assumed that he had either perished in the attack on the village, or had passed on from old age. However, members of her clan were known for their unusually long lifespans. In fact, Ninigi had been the youngest son to the initial founder of the Uzumaki clan, Ashina Uzumaki. She was looking upon a man who had personally known the first Hokage from when he was a boy. She had been surprised at first that this man had asked for her by name, but taking into account that she was the only member of the Uzumaki clan in Konoha, she found that it made sense, considering the situation. It seemed that Ninigi's age had finally caught up to him, and his chakra was draining from his body at a steady rate. The doctor's said he wasn't likely to make it past the morning.

Kushina turned her head slightly to look at the girl who sat sullenly in the corner of the room. The girl had the same deep purple eyes as herself, which wasn't entirely unheard of in Konoha, but she recalled seeing the trait much more often in Uzushiogakure. It was a familiarity that Kushina didn't realize she had missed since leaving her childhood home. The child had been brought in with Ninigi, claiming that he was her grandfather.

"That's odd," Kushina said absentmindedly as they had made their way to the hospital earlier. "Ninigi never had any children."

This remark has caused her husband and the Anbu member to exchange a look of concern.

The Anbu member who had briefed them earlier now stood casually next to the girl — or, more accurately, made it seem like he was standing casually. The Anbu had requested to have the girl removed when Kushina and her husband arrived, but Kushina put her foot down on the matter. The girl seemed genuinely upset, and Kushina wasn't about to separate her from a dying family member, blood relation or no. Minato had agreed, and the two of them had gone in to meet with Ninigi.

The dying man gave her hand a squeeze. "Wife of the Hokage, hmm? My father would be very proud. My elder sister, Mito, was also the wife of a Hokage."

"Yes, I met her when I became the jinchūriki for the Nine-Tails," Kushina said. "She was a very sweet woman."

"Yes, the jinchūriki …" His face grew sullen. "It was a jinchūriki that aided in the destruction of Uzushiogakure. One of the creations of my father's very own sealing jutsu."

Kushina and Minato exchanged a glance. Not a lot was known concerning the destruction of Uzushiogakure. The only intelligence Konoha was able to gather was that the village had been targeted by a collaboration between a handful of the other shinobi villages. The sealing jutsu of the clan was a dangerous power for the Land of Fire to possess. Destroying the village and all the knowledge it possessed proved to be of great benefit to their enemies. Surviving members of the clan scattered throughout the continent and went into hiding. Until now, Kushina had suspected that she may have been the only member left.

"Idiots, the lot," Ninigi wheezed. "Iwagakure sent their jinchūriki to dole out the most damage — which he did, I'll give him that. But they underestimated our clan. They underestimated _me._ "

The old man let out a rattling cough.

"They didn't know that I could undo the seal, that I could tear the Tailed Beast from his body. He was finished, after that," he said proudly.

He turned his head to look at the girl sitting in the corner. The way that she was looking back at him, Kushina surmised that this was the first time the girl was hearing this tale.

"That's when I found her," he continued. "She was alone, standing next to a collapsed building. Her parents must have pushed her out before it fell. I couldn't even tell if she was an Uzumaki at first, because of her hair. It turned out she was, luckily, but I couldn't figure that out until years later when her chakra abilities became apparent. She was all that I had at the time, and so she became the Five-Tails jinchūriki."

The mood in the room suddenly grew tense. The Anbu member standing next to the girl had given up any pretense of looking relaxed. Minato didn't move, but Kushina could immediately tell there was a shift in his demeanor. The girl was staring at the floor, bunching the material of her pants in her hands.

"Don't be alarmed," Ninigi said, bringing their attention back to him. "Her seal is strong, and she has been instructed relentlessly on keeping the beast's power in check. She can be a great asset to Konoha. That is why I came here, in fact. She is a gift to you."

"A gift?" Minato asked in an unsteady tone.

"Yes, I've taught her everything I know concerning fūinjutsu. Please take record of it so that the knowledge of the Uzumaki clan isn't lost. Also …" He looked between Minato and Kushina. "There are certain times when the seal holding a Tailed Beast can grow weak. Childbirth is one, specifically. I would assume this is something that would concern you two?"

Kushina turned away, beet red. Minato blushed slightly.

"Well, yes," Minato said, "someday. But —"

"I have witnessed the destructive power of a Tailed Beast firsthand," Ninigi interjected, "I can only imagine the horrors that the Nine-Tails is capable of. It took me many years, but I believe I've created a seal to act as a failsafe if the worst happens."

He turned his attention again to Yuiko. "It's called the Inner Beast Fusion Seal. It's a seal that can only be performed by a jinchūriki. In the event that a jinchūriki encounters another Tailed Beast, they can activate this seal to contain a second Tailed Beast within them. The seal harnesses the chakra from the two Tailed Beasts, powering a jutsu that self destructs within the jinchūriki."

"What — what happens to the jinchūriki?" Kushina asked hesitantly.

"They sacrifice themselves to kill the beasts, and save the lives of the hundreds who would normally perish from the rampage," he replied. "My father's legacy was sealing the Tailed Beasts. It was an astounding accomplishment to be able to harness the destructive power of the beasts for mankind. I, too, found it incredibly impressive ... until I witnessed it destroying my home firsthand. However small it may be, I want my legacy to be reversing some of this damage, if I can."

Ninigi's breathing became more labored. Kushina could feel the last of his chakra fading away. The room began to take on a pink hue as the sun rose steadily over the skyline. He gave her hand a final squeeze.

"Take care of … Yuiko. She is … a good child."

—

Kushina stood alone in the hallway, hugging her elbows. She looked up as the door opened with a 'click'. Her husband stepped out, closing the door behind him. Inside were two Anbu members and a nurse who was confirming Ninigi's passing. Minato sighed, rubbing the back of his head. Kushina looked at him, concerned.

"What's going to happen to her?" she asked.

"Well, it's a … delicate situation," Minato replied. "Her existence as a jinchūriki will need to be kept classified. If any of the other villages, especially Iwagakure, were to find out that we had another jinchūriki in our possession, we'd be in hot water. Iwagakure would probably demand that we hand her over so they could put the Five-Tails in another host. I've heard rumors that it's possible for a member of the Uzumaki clan to survive a Tailed Beast extraction, but I don't think it would be fair to test it out on her. Plus, who knows if she's actually a full-blooded Uzumaki? She doesn't have red hair."

Kushina snorted. "Not all Uzumakis have red hair."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean — not like that."

Kushina dismissed it with a wave. "So she'll be staying in the village?"

"Yes, for now anyway. I'll have to meet with the council to decide where to keep her. The orphanage would be too risky, plus I think she would need to be under stricter supervision. I believe the best bet for now would be with the Anbu. They can keep her at their headquarters on a rotating shift."

"Hold on, you're going to treat her like a prisoner?" she asked harshly.

"What? That's not what I meant," Minato said. "She just needs to be under supervision, and the Anbu —"

"Would treat her like a prisoner."

Minato sighed, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. "Ok, what would you have me do?"

"There must be someone who could take her in," she said. "She's just a kid, ya know?"

"She's also a jinchūriki," Minato stated bluntly.

Kushina pursed her lips. Minato quickly backtracked. "I mean, it's not a bad thing! It's just that I don't want to give someone more than they can handle."

Kushina placed her hands on her hips. Minato winced, realizing that he wasn't making the situation any better.

"How about I ask around?" he said. "I don't want this information getting out to too many people. I'm sure I can find _someone_ …"

"She's coming home with us."

Minato froze. "Eh?"

"She's coming home with us," Kushina said. "I'll clear out the spare room."

"But Kushina, that was going to be, you know, the nursery."

"And it still will be, someday. We'll get to that when I'm actually expecting. But for now, it's just collecting junk. I'd feel a lot better putting it to some use."

Minato looked uneasy. Kushina enthusiastically wrapped him in a bear hug. "Come on, it'll be fun! It'll be good practice for us. Neither of us has had to raise a kid before, ya know?"

"True, but she's practically a stranger," Minato said as his wife put him down.

"She's an Uzumaki. And she's a member of Konoha now, right?"

Minato slowly blinked at the realization. The girl Yuiko was now technically a member of his family. He was slightly annoyed that his wife had come to the realization before he did.

"Alright. The council may not approve …"

"Then they can take her."

Minato smiled, imagining the fussy old members of the council tutting about how they 'couldn't possibly' handle taking care of a teenage girl, not to mention one with a Tailed Beast inside her. He pulled Kushina into a hug.

"Alright, let's bring her home."


	19. Chapter 19

"She needs to go," Kushina said harshly.

She slammed her palm onto Minato's desk, her face contorted with annoyance. Minato struggled to collect the papers that had flown haphazardly around him.

"Kushina, it's only been three weeks," he said.

"And Yuiko's going to make me lose my mind! She follows me everywhere!" She leaned forward, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

" _Everywhere."_

Minato chuckled nervously. "Come on, dear. She's not that bad."

"Yes, she is! When I was brushing my teeth this morning, I moved the mirror, and there she was — just _staring_ at me. I can't sense her at all! I nearly had a heart attack!" she exclaimed.

Kushina threw up her arms, exasperated. "Any time I go out, she always follows me. She'll always just stay a couple feet back, like I'm a ticking time bomb or something! I can't get her to speak to me either. The only time she would come close was when I lost it and yelled at her. And that just made me feel …"

Kushina put her face in her hands. Minato quickly rose from his chair and embraced her. He looked at her tenderly, stroking her hair in thought.

"Let me bring her to the training grounds this afternoon," he said, "Maybe it will help if she's doing something more familiar."

.

* * *

.

Minato watched in a bemused fashion as Yuiko went through her cooldown routine. Every day for the past few weeks the two of them had been meeting for an hour after lunch to spar. It made his schedule tighter than normal, but the training sessions were like turning on a switch when it came to the girl's personality. She was far more vocal, happily explaining to him anything he wanted to know about fūinjutsu and her phasing technique. Her taijutsu form was excellent for someone her age, but Minato did find it to be quite rigid and devoid of creativity. He had been helping her to incorporate her phasing technique into it, making her combat approach much more fluid. In return, she walked him through the various fūinjutsu of the Uzumaki clan. Fūinjutsu was a passion project for Minato, so up until that day he had already been aware of every technique she pulled out of memory. Up until she had brought up the Reaper Death Seal as she joined him sitting down in the grass.

"Your grandfather … taught you this?" he said.

Yuiko looked at him like a kicked puppy. She seemed to suddenly sense that she was in trouble, but not know why. Minato made a mental check to change his tone.

"This technique," he said, "the way you describe it makes it sound like it _eats_ your soul?"

"Kind of," Yuiko said nervously. "It traps the souls of the caster and the target. And I think they get stuck there … forever."

"It sounds similar to the Inner Beast Fusion Seal," he said.

Yuiko shook her head. "No," she said casually. "That one is much kinder to the caster. The caster of the beast seal dies, but their soul is released to the Pure Land afterwards. My grandfather was sure of that."

Minato looked at her in pity. Yuiko seemed genuinely unperturbed by the notion of her own death. He placed his hand on her head.

She winced.

Minato felt a twang in his heart. He ruffled her hair before withdrawing his hand. She looked at him curiously as she smoothed back her hair. He smiled at her sweetly.

"You know that I'm the Hokage, right? The one charged with protecting this village?" he said.

Yuiko nodded.

"And as such," he continued, "my goal is to keep everyone safe. Including you."

Yuiko looked puzzled. "You don't need to do that," she said. "I can take care of myself. You don't think I'm strong enough?"

Minato laughed. The girl looked at him as if she had been insulted. Minato held up one hand, rubbing the back of his head with the other.

"I think you misinterpreted what I meant," he said bashfully. "The village, and everyone in it, is under my charge. Every person is a member of my family. And if I see anyone struggling, it's my duty to help them. It's also my duty to keep them from themselves, sometimes."

Yuiko looked at him as if he had sprouted a second head.

"Let me be more specific," he said. "In your case, I'm forbidding you from using any jutsu that would cause you to sacrifice your life."

Yuiko was now regarding him like he was an idiot.

"Lord Hok— uh, Minato," she said hesitantly, picking her words with care. "It's not unheard of for a kunoichi to be in a situation where she must sacrifice herself for a mission to succeed."

Minato regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. "You're right," he said. "But if there was ever a situation where I had to choose between your life or my own, I would choose yours."

Yuiko stared at him, stunned.

"W-why?" she squeaked. "You're important. The people here, they need you —"

"And I need them," he said. "Every time a member of our family is lost, it cuts me down. But every time I see the new academy graduates, or my comrades returning from a mission, it builds me up again. It's the same with you: When I see you helping Kushina in the kitchen, or when you smile when we pass the flower shop, it helps me to remember what it's all for. And it hurts me to think that you don't believe that you matter — that your life is just an object to be used by others."

He smiled at her. "I want you to live your life the way you see fit. If you want to be a kunoichi of Konoha, I want that to be your decision. If you want to give up that profession and find something else you're passionate about, that's also your choice. The last thing I want is for you to feel that you're stuck on a path that had already been carved out for you. Life is much more enjoyable when you find your own way."

Yuiko hugged her knees to her chest, staring at her feet for some time. Minato waited patiently, watching the clouds drift by. He was surprised when he felt something on his head. He looked over to see that Yuiko had placed her hand in his hair. She continued to look at her feet, blushing slightly. He grinned, rising to his feet. He helped her up and the two of them made their way home.

.

* * *

.

"I can't believe it," Kushina said.

"I was a little surprised myself," her husband replied.

Minato and Kushina stood together on the small balcony attached to their bedroom. The night air was beginning to grow crisp as summer teased at becoming fall. Kushina playfully dug her elbow into her husband's ribs. He batted her away with a chuckle. It had been a while since she had seen him in such a good mood. The news that his former student Kakashi had agreed to take on Yuiko as a student was welcome. Even when Kakashi had been directly under Minato's tutelage, he had always seemed like a sullen kid. She spotted him rarely after Obito's passing, and not at all after Rin's. Minato hadn't spoken of it often, but she could tell that the situation concerning the boy's demeanor had only been getting worse.

It was a stark contrast to Yuiko, who only seemed to be growing more confident as time wore on. She started to laugh at Kushina's jokes, even though sometimes she would burst into random fits of giggles when Kushina said mundane things about laundry or the weather. She had a strange fascination with the cat-shaped alarm clock they had bought her, and she took pride in announcing exactly how much time had passed between certain intervals. When she came home from the academy one day saying that she made a friend, Kushina's heart nearly leapt out her chest. She had scooped the girl up into a bear hug, something that Yuiko took some getting used to, since she phased through them the first couple times.

Even so, their relationship wasn't perfect. Every couple of nights she had to call Yuiko down from the roof in the early hours of the morning.

' _But this is the best time to see the Seven-Tails constellation.'_

She also had to apologize profusely to the instructors at the academy when Yuiko wouldn't answer when called upon or chose not to go to class.

' _I already know that. Why do I have to go if I have nothing to do?'_

The girl's eyes would glaze over when Kushina recited the three shinobi prohibitions, but for her credit she had them memorized within a short amount of time.

' _Be conscientious about how I handle money, no alcohol until I'm twenty, and — be careful of women? How do I be careful of myself? Is that what's called a metaphor?'_

She was an odd duck, that for was sure. But she was Kushina's odd duck. It was also a little comforting having someone else around that shared her experience of being a jinchūriki. Yuiko didn't grow up with any of the social stigma, but she still held a certain understanding of Kushina's occasional struggles with the Nine-Tails.

When Kushina was having a bad day, Yuiko would silently sit next to her looking at nothing in particular. Sometimes Kushina could swear that she could hear the sound of trees gently rustling in the wind when they sat together. It was weird, to be sure, but oddly comforting.

"I really hope this turns out well, for both of them," Minato said wistfully.

Kushina nodded in agreement. "Of course! Why wouldn't it?"


	20. Chapter 20

Naruto yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he made his way down the hallway. He stopped at the living room, noticing that the table presented a bowl of rice along with an assortment of pickled vegetables. He jumped when he noticed movement on the couch.

"Yo!" Kakashi said cheerfully, a book in hand.

Naruto grimaced. "Kakashi-Sensei! Please don't tell me you live here, too!"

"Huh?" Kakashi said. "What are you insinuating?"

Naruto pointed at him angrily, "I'm saying that granny Tsunade let just anybody move in here while I was away! And why didn't you say anything when I saw you yesterday?!"

"Oh," Kakashi said thoughtfully. "It must have slipped my mind."

Naruto groaned in frustration as he sat down at the table. He turned to Kakashi as he ate. "What are you doing here anyway?" he asked between bites.

"Why, I'm here to collect you, of course."

Naruto glanced at a used bowl and chopsticks sitting on the table.

 _Yeah, and I'm sure getting a free meal has nothing to do with it,_ he thought.

"Oh, Naruto!" Yuiko circled around behind him and sat down across from him at the table. "I hope you slept well! Getting a good night's sleep is very important for someone your age."

She regarded him gleefully. After a minute of her staring at him Naruto decided that he'd had enough. He put down his bowl, ready to formally ask her again to leave his apartment. Perhaps things would go differently with Kakashi-Sensei there, but he was unsure of how much support he would actually get from his teacher. Just as he opened his mouth, he noticed something white on Yuiko's shoulder. "Hey, what's that?" he asked.

Yuiko looked where he was pointing and unclasped the object from her grey flak jacket. She held up an Anbu mask for Naruto to study. It looked to him like a rabbit — or maybe a mouse?

"Whoa, you're part of the Anbu Black Ops?" he asked, his former intent forgotten.

"Well, sort of," she said, a little embarrassed. "It's more so I can go outside the village without anyone knowing who I am."

"Huh? Why would it matter if people knew who you were?" he asked.

She looked at him, surprised. "Did Jiraiya not say anything about me?"

"What? Why would he?"

Yuiko looked uneasy. Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at Kakashi.

"I think the two of you should do some catching up later," he said. "How about we go meet up with Sakura?"

Naruto nodded. Yuiko followed them out of the apartment, throwing a tan cloak over her shoulders as they left. She seemed distracted, staring off at nothing in particular as they walked. But as they left the neighborhoods and made their way into the marketplace, Yuiko positioned herself next to him to point out various villagers as they walked by.

"That's Mr. Matsuda! His wife weaves most of the rugs you see hanging there, but her arthritis is acting up so she's been out for 12 days so far. He's talking to Mrs. Kaneko, who's the most reliable person to get clothing dyes from. Mr. Ando also sells dyes, but his main focus is importing leather from Kumogakure, so his quality standards aren't as high as Mrs. Kaneko's."

Naruto nodded, feigning a weak smile when Yuiko would turn her head to look at him excitedly between the villager's descriptions. Something was nagging him in the back of his mind, though. Yuiko knew so much about these people, but most of them didn't appear to notice she was there. Some of them even gave her nervous glances before turning away. The look in their eyes made Naruto relive an uncomfortable feeling that he had hoped he wouldn't have to deal with again.

"Wow, you must talk to a lot of people, huh?" he asked, trying to distract himself from his own thoughts.

"Talk to them?" Yuiko said, puzzled.

"Huh? I mean, how do you know all that about them if you don't talk to them?"

Yuiko looked down at her feet, almost visibly shrinking in front of him.

"Hey! Naruto! When did you get back?"

Anko Mitarashi approached him, placing her hands on her hips. She smirked, looking the same as Naruto remembered her with her dark purple hair forming spikes at the back of her head from where it was fastened.

"Good to see you! Learned some cool new techniques, I hope?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah," Naruto said, turning his attention away from Yuiko. "How have you —"

"Hey!" she snapped.

He noticed that Anko was looking at Yuiko, whose mind seemed to have been elsewhere. She looked over at Anko, startled.

"The old ball-and-chain is looking for you," Anko said snidely.

"Oh, don't call him that, Anko," Yuiko said with concern.

"Fine, then. How about your parole officer?"

"That's even worse," Yuiko said, flustered.

In a flash, an Anbu member wearing a mask resembling a cat appeared in front of them. Yuiko gave him a curt nod and walked toward him. She paused, turning back to look at Naruto.

"Let's talk later, okay?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah, sure," he said with a resigned shrug.

Yuiko and the Anbu member disappeared in a flash. As Anko turned to walk away, Naruto found his curiosity getting the better of him. "Hey, Anko-Sensei! Are you friends with Yuiko or something?"

Anko turned around, quickly glancing at Kakashi before giving him her attention.

"She's … a comrade."

"Oh, I mean ..." Naruto said, not expecting Anko's vague response, "she seems to know a lot of people, so I just thought maybe you knew her too."

"Yeah, she knows something about almost everyone. That's what makes her so—"

Anko stopped, glancing at Kakashi before looking up at the sky. Her brow furrowed as she struggled to find the right words. "She's a good kunoichi when it comes to collecting intel. But I think she might have spent a little too much time alone, you catch my drift?"

Naruto didn't, but Anko didn't seem to care. She turned away from them, giving a half-hearted wave as she walked away.

Naruto looked back over at Kakashi, who had his book open in front of him, although his attention seemed to be fixated on Anko.

"Kakashi-Sensei?"

"Hmm?" Kakashi looked down at him, his demeanor shifting immediately to his usual idle expression. Naruto felt a little uncomfortable, almost as if he had witnessed something private.

"You alright, Naruto?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah," Naruto responded. "But, there's just one thing I don't understand."

"Hmm?"

"Why does it have to be _my_ apartment?" Naruto whined.

Kakashi chuckled and began to walk down the street. Naruto followed, slightly downtrodden.

—

"Knock knock!" Jiraiya said cheerfully as he opened the door to Tsunade's office. Tsunade looked up from the book she was reading with slight irritation. "You're late," she remarked.

"Well, I might have gotten caught up taking in the beauty of Konoha. It's been a while since I've been back to this village, you know," Jiraiya said with a smirk.

 _It's been a while since you've been to the bathhouses, is more like it,_ she thought.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "We're going to make this quick since I'm due to meet with a squad coming in for an assignment. Team Kakashi, to be precise."

"Ah," Jiraiya said, "I know that Naruto is itching for a good assignment. I hope you've got something worthy of his new skills!"

Tsunade looked guilty for a moment. She knew that Naruto wouldn't be satisfied with any of the C-rank missions she had in mind for him. She decided to change the subject. "From what I understand, you're planning on continuing your investigation of the Akatsuki, correct?"

"Sure am!" he replied. "They're on the move, and it's about time that we find out more about who they are and what they're after. I want to nip this thing in the bud before they become even more of a threat to Naruto."

Tsunade raised her eyebrows. "Oh? Are you planning on fighting them all yourself?"

"Hmph. If I have to," he said boastfully. "Though I'm hoping to find a way to put an end to this that doesn't involve that, if possible."

"Wouldn't that be nice?" Tsunade said sarcastically. "Well, either way, it's good to have you back on reconnaissance. I assume your plan is still to head over to Iwagakure?"

Jiraiya nodded solemnly. "They were the last village known to hire out the Akatsuki. I might be able to find something there about where the group is located or any of their other members."

"Sounds good," she said with a nod. "All that's left is for you to meet your subordinate for this mission."

"Subordinate? Tsunade, I'm a lone wolf, baby! You know I work best when I have the freedom to play things by ear."

"Yes," the Hokage said curtly, "but you also have a habit of wasting far too much time in those sleazy bars."

Jiraiya tried to reply, but found that he lacked an argument he knew Tsunade would find convincing.

"And so," she continued, "I'm assigning you the newest official member of the Anbu. She has been under keen supervision for some time, and I believe that she'd make a great counterbalance for you on this mission. Her specialty is in tracking skills, which I know you lack unless the target has a giant pair of breasts."

"Hey! Now I —"

"Furthermore," Tsunade said, cutting him off, "she also has a vested interest in stopping the Akatsuki. Between the two of you, I believe we'll collect more information from Iwagakure than if you went alone."

Jiraiya crossed his arms with a frown. He didn't like the idea of having someone tagging along. But that someone was a _she_. Having a pretty kunoichi along may not be so bad. He grinned. "Alright, let's meet her!" he said enthusiastically.

Tsunade smirked. In a flash, a figure appeared crouched on the other end of the room. The woman rose, her long, light purple hair shining as she moved. Her face was obscured by an Anbu animal mask.

 _Hard to tell if she's got a figure as nice as Tsunade's underneath that flak jacket … But I'm sure I'll have time to find out,_ Jiraiya thought.

Tsunade nodded at the woman, who removed her mask. Jiraiya jumped back. "No way! It can't be _her_! That's not fair!"

"Yuiko has proven her loyalty to Konoha over the last few years, and I believe she's ready for her first assignment without direct supervision from the Anbu," Tsunade said curtly.

She rose from her chair, gathering some paperwork. "I figured that you would need someone who excels at being discreet. Who better than a woman who evaded us for over a decade?"

She gave Jiraiya a pat on the shoulder as she walked past him to the door. "Yuiko has already been briefed; the two of you can depart when you're ready. Good luck!"

The door clicked as it closed behind her. The pair looked at each other in silence.

"I need a drink …" Jiraiya mumbled.


	21. Chapter 21

Yuiko drummed her fingers impatiently on the table. A few hours had passed since she was assigned to accompany Jiraiya, and all he had done so far was drink and go up to his room to take a nap. She was doing her best to be patient with him, per Tsunade's request, but she had half a mind to grab her gear and take off for Iwagakure herself. She figured that doing just about anything would be better than waiting downstairs for Jiraiya to finally wake up. But she knew that there was also a good chance that Jiraiya would take the opportunity to ditch her, even if she did only step out for a moment. She closed her eyes, leaning back in her chair.

 _Are you nervous about going back to Iwa?_ She asked.

" _I can't say I have pleasant memories of the place. My last jinchūriki was not treated well there. I felt rather sorry for him,"_ Kokuō responded.

 _I didn't know why Grandfather wouldn't take me there on our travels until he died. It's weird that you "officially" belong to Iwa._

" _I've never 'officially' belonged to anyone but you, little mouse. And that's for reasons entirely different than you being a jinchūriki."_

Yuiko smiled. She opened her eyes at the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. She turned just as Jiraiya skipped the last few steps to land at the bottom, his wooden sandals making a sharp "clack!" against the floor.

"Something has happened," he said in an urgent tone. "We need to meet up with Tsunade."

—

The two of them found Tsunade at the village entrance. On the way over, Jiraiya briefed her on the news of the Kazekage's abduction. Yuiko tried to keep herself from feeling too perturbed by the news. To take down the Kazekage meant more than just beating him — it meant that the Akatsuki were able to hold off all the shinobi of Sunagakure as well. This wasn't good.

Yuiko was surprised to see that Kakashi and his team were with Tsunade when they arrived at the gate. She had figured that they would have left on their mission hours ago. She approached Kakashi as Jiraiya made his way to Tsunade.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Have you heard about the Kazekage?" he responded.

"We have. That's why Jiraiya came to find the Hokage."

"It's the Akatsuki, from the sound of it," Kakashi said coolly. "We've been assigned to bring him back."

Yuiko quickly glanced over at Naruto.

"Naruto! Come here for a second!" Jiraiya called. She watched as Naruto joined Jiraiya. She turned her attention back to Kakashi. "Why is Lady Hokage sending Naruto on this mission? It sounds like this will be direct confrontation with the Akatsuki."

"Naruto and Gaara, the Kazekage, have some history," he replied. "I know you haven't had a chance to get to know Naruto much, but you'll come to learn that he's loyal beyond belief. If Tsunade told him no, he would go anyway; might as well give him a better chance of success by having the two of us along."

Jiraiya joined them, a serious look on his face. "Kakashi, make sure he doesn't do anything too reckless. I'm counting on you, okay?"

Kakashi nodded.

A thought suddenly struck Yuiko — she turned to Jiraiya. "Naruto and the Nine-Tails. Does he have it under control?"

Jiraiya sighed, crossing his arms, "I've already warned him not to use that power. In the future, maybe, but right now things can get bad if he loses control."

Yuiko pulled a piece of sealing paper from her side pouch. She ran through a series of signs with her other hand, finishing the seal by pressing her palm against the paper. Markings glowed in a bright blue on the paper before fading to black. She handed the seal to Kakashi.

"This is a chakra suppression seal. I've made it as strong as I can, so hopefully it will work if something goes wrong," she said, pulling out another sheet for a backup.

Jiraiya whistled. "I've never seen someone make one of those so fast," he said. "Impressive."

Yuiko ignored him, repeating the process before handing the second seal over to Kakashi. "Be careful, and look out for yourself, too."

"I've got a good team. We'll be fine," he replied, tucking the seals into his front pocket.

"Let's get a move on!" Naruto yelled impatiently, Sakura at his side.

Yuiko made her way over to the two younger Shinobi. "You two be careful, okay? Oh, I almost forgot!" she said, pulling a small package out of her pack. "I packed you a lunch! It's important to keep your blood sugars up on a mission."

"Uh, thanks," Naruto said, taking the package awkwardly. He stuffed it in his pack as he walked away. Sakura hid a smirk behind her hand as she bid Yuiko farewell.

"Is there one for me?" Kakashi asked.

"You're a grown man. You can make your own lunches," Yuiko replied matter-of-factly. Kakashi chuckled half-heartedly and made his way down the path after Naruto. The three disappeared in a flash. Jiraiya moved to stand beside her. "Shall we?" he asked.

She nodded. The situation was escalating much faster than expected, and they had no time to lose.

.

* * *

.

"I can't thank you enough for this, Jiraiya."

"Yeah, well, Yuiko isn't a bad kid. Trust me, I've had to deal with much worse!"

Minato laughed as he topped off the cup of sake Jiraiya held in one hand. "You're not referring to me, I hope?" he asked jokingly.

Jiraiya downed the cup and exhaled deeply, leaning back into Minato's couch. "Whatever trouble you may have caused me in the past, you seem to be making up for it now. So I'll let it slide this time," he said with a wink.

In all honesty, Jiraiya thought that Minato was going a bit overboard with this request. Kushina was being induced this evening, and Minato had asked Jiraiya to take Yuiko out of the village during the delivery. He was even footing the bill for the two of them to stay at an upscale inn for the night. Jiraiya leaned forward in his seat. "Do you really think this is necessary?" he whispered.

Minato chuckled. "Maybe not. But I can't be too careful. If something _does_ happen, and Yuiko tries to get involved, I couldn't live with myself afterwards. This is more for my own peace of mind than anything."

They turned at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Kushina and Yuiko appeared, the latter wearing a backpack that seemed far too large for a simple overnight trip.

"Do you have your toothbrush?" Kushina asked. "And did you pack both pairs of pajamas I set out for you? It's getting colder this time of year, so you might need the thicker one. But on the other hand, they may have the heat turned up, so you'll need the thinner one, ya know? And make sure to eat some of the vegetables they serve you. And don't stay up too late —"

"She's going on an overnight trip, Kushina, not on a mission!" Jiraiya laughed.

Kushina glared at him. "And be mindful of Master Jiraiya, but not _too_ mindful."

Jiraiya stood and crossed the room to Yuiko, leaning down to her level. "So, are you ready to hit the road? My ink supplier should be there to meet us by dinner."

"Do you have the manuscript?" Yuiko asked.

 _Jeez, this kid …_ Jiraiya thought, his smile wavering.

"I sure do! I'll let you read it when we get there to thank you for helping me transport the ink. How 'bout you wait outside and I'll join you in a minute, okay?"

Yuiko nodded. Minato and Kushina bid her farewell and she walked out the door. Jiraiya closed his eyes with a sigh. He jumped when he opened them and noticed Kushina in his face.

"I don't like that you gave her that book. It's inappropriate for someone her age," she said.

"Hey now! They're not all about, you know, _that_. Besides, I've blacked out all the more 'adult' parts in copies I've given her. Cross my heart!" he said nervously. "Besides, who am I to keep a fan from enjoying my astonishing literary talent?"

Kushina looked unimpressed. Minato walked up beside her and squeezed her shoulders. She placed her hand over his and smiled. "I guess I'm a little wound up," she said.

 _A little?_ Jiraiya thought.

"Just look after her, ya know? And we'll see you both tomorrow. Along with little Naruto," she said with a grin. Jiraiya returned the gesture and walked out the door.

"See you tomorrow!"

—

The inn was about a four hour walk outside the village. They met up with his ink supplier, and Jiraiya bought an unnecessarily large order of ink, much to the merchant's delight. Jiraiya needed to make it seem convincing that he actually required Yuiko's help to carry it all back, even though he figured that he now had enough ink for two lifetimes. After the exchange, the two had dinner and he let Yuiko retire to her room with the (heavily edited) manuscript of his next book. The kid wasn't much for company, but he did find it endearing how much she genuinely enjoyed his work.

He sat drinking alone at the bar. The inn didn't have many guests at the moment, and he hadn't spotted any women that he would like to have join him either.

 _At least the food is good,_ be thought bitterly.

All the glasses behind the bar tinkled as the inn shook.

"What the hell?" he muttered, lowering the glass from his lips.

Jiraiya walked outside. He couldn't see anything but dense forest, but a chakra signature like nothing he had felt before filled the air. It was powerful, and made the hair on his arms stand straight up.

 _Could it be? There's no way._

He ran back into the inn, leaping up the stairs. He darted past the other guests who had exited their rooms in a panicked confusion. He yanked open the door to Yuiko's room and saw that it was empty, his manuscript fluttering in the breeze from the open window.

 _Shit._

* * *

 _A/N: "Pssst, hey you. Yeah you. Wanna flashback?"_

 _Don't worry, they're going to start thinning out as more holes in the character's pasts start getting filled. I'm hoping that people are liking where this is going with Jiraiya, since I always wondered what he was up to when Naruto was running around at the start of shippuden, and thought it could be fun to think about the kind of missions he went on. Let me know what you think!_


	22. Chapter 22

Yuiko leapt through the trees as fast as her body would allow. She couldn't depend on Kokuō's chakra; she needed to conserve as much as possible to perform the Inner Beast Fusion Seal. She cursed her bad luck at being away from the village the night Kushina ended up going into labor. She only hoped that she would be able to make it in time.

The chakra that she felt from the Nine-Tails was terrifying. It was filled with rage, and as she got closer it was like she could feel the beast breathing down her neck. A figure appeared in front of her, and she crashed into Jiraiya's chest. He pulled her back with his hands on her shoulders. "And where do you think you're off to, hmm?" he asked.

Yuiko looked at him in disbelief. "They're in trouble! I need to go! I can stop it!" she yelled.

"Maybe," he said, "but I'm not going to let you throw your life away doing it. Trust Minato. He can handle this."

Yuiko looked at him anxiously. He thought that she was about to relent when she darted through him. He gasped. Minato had told him about her ability, but experiencing it first-hand was another matter. He turned around to see that the girl was already gone.

 _Dammit._

It didn't take him long to catch up to her. He performed a quick hand seal and his hair grew out rapidly. It wrapped itself around Yuiko, quickly binding her.

"You won't be able to phase through that," he boasted. Yuiko struggled wildly. Jiraiya had reinforced his hair binding technique by running a different amount of chakra through each hair, countering Yuiko's ability to sync up with his chakra signature.

"Please!" she cried out. "Please let me go! I don't want them to die!"

Pain shot through Jiraiya's chest. How long had it been? It had taken him longer than he would have liked to track down Yuiko; the kid was nearly undetectable, plus he had to double back when he realized their differences in speed meant that he probably passed her. It must have been close to thirty minutes since he first sensed the Nine-Tails. If Minato didn't have it under control by now, something may have gone wrong …

Yuiko was bawling, slumped over the hair binding her. She looked up at him, tears and snot running down her face. "Why are you doing this? Don't you love them? Do you want them to die?!"

The pain in his chest was beginning to spread. His mind raced in panic. Minato was "the child of prophecy." If he died … but if he let the girl go …

"Save them!" she screamed. "Let me save them!"

The binding loosened. Yuiko pulled away and disappeared into the forest. Jiraiya watched her go.

—

The chakra trail of the Nine-Tails suddenly vanished. Yuiko paused; taking note of the direction it last came from. She continued on her way, bursting through the trees into a large clearing. A few shinobi and the third Hokage turned to her as she landed on the dirt, breathing heavily. She scanned the area, and spotted Minato and Kushina lying on the ground nearby. Blood surrounded their bodies.

 _No. Please._

She ran to them, falling on her knees. "Wake up," she whispered, shaking Kushina. "Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP!"

Kushina stared lifelessly ahead. She looked almost alien without her mischievous grin and the playful spark in her eyes. Yuiko stared at her face, hoping Kushina would look up and wink at her, letting her in on the joke. She waited for Kushina to pull her into a hug and laugh at how silly it was that Yuiko thought that the gaping hole in the woman's torso was real.

"It's funny," Yuiko whispered, trying to appease her. "Do I ... do I need to laugh?"

Kushina didn't move. Yuiko's vision grew blurry. She started to pull on Kokuō's chakra.

 _Make the pain go away. Make everything go away._

Yuiko's thoughts grew fuzzy as a ringing sound entered her ears and a red aura filled her vision.

She felt a hard slap to her back. The energy immediately drained out of her and she lost consciousness.

—

Yuiko came to, lying on her side in the dirt. She could see the back of the third Hokage speaking in hushed tones to another shinobi she didn't recognize.

"Lord Hokage! She's waking up!" a voice beside her called out. She sat up weakly. The third Hokage made his way to her, crouching down to her level.

"I'm sorry I had to use a chakra seal on you. You weren't acting like yourself," he said. She looked reluctantly at the old man, afraid of what he was about to say. He let out a deep breath. "I think you know what happened here. We're unsure of how the seal broke, and how things escalated from there, but both Minato and Kushina gave their lives to stop the threat to Konoha."

His eyes broke their gaze, his mouth stretching tight. Yuiko felt numb.

"The boy, Naruto, is in good health it seems," he continued, "we'll need to have him checked out at the hospital to be sure, but that will need to wait until things there slow down." The shinobi that the Hokage had previously been speaking to approached them. He knelt down, handing the Hokage a bundle of blankets. The Hokage looked down at it, uncomfortable.

"Mikoto Uchiha is the boy's godmother, but ..." he trailed off, raising his eyes to meet hers. "... but, there are reasons at the moment the boy can't fall under her care. When we locate Jiraiya, we'll discuss his living arrangements further. In the meantime, I want you to look after Naruto."

"W-what?" Yuiko stuttered.

The old man looked at her sadly. Yuiko was a kunoichi of Konoha, but at this moment she looked every bit of the frightened child that coexisted within her. It pained him knowing that she was going to be the first of many that looked back at him with that expression. As much as he would like to stay and reassure her, he needed to get back to the village and assess the damage.

The third Hokage held the bundle of blankets out to Yuiko. She reached her arms out hesitantly, and brought the child to her chest.

—

The village was partially in ruins. It had taken her some time to navigate around the destruction to get back to the apartment. Luckily, it had suffered minimal damage. Many items had been knocked over, but save for some dishes, a vase, and a picture frame, everything still seemed intact. Yuiko flipped the light switch, which did nothing. Naruto let out a soft cry, and started to fuss in her arms. She put her back against the wall, sliding down to a sitting position on the floor. Her gaze fixated on a broken picture of Minato and Kushina, surrounded by shards of glass. Naruto whimpered helplessly in her arms. She looked down and studied the baby's hair, which was the exact cheery yellow as his fathers. Yuiko tore her eyes away from the child, taking shallow breaths to push down the sharp pain growing in her chest. She rocked Naruto back and forth. That's what you do with babies, right?

"It's going to be okay," she whispered. A tear fell from her face onto his. "It's going to be okay," she said again, wiping her tear from his cheek.

.

* * *

.

"Let's … give them some privacy," Kakashi said with a chuckle. He ushered Naruto and Sakura out of the hospital room, closing the door behind him.

Jiraiya had forced himself to come to the hospital the moment Tsunade told him they had found Yuiko. It was hard to believe that she had actually returned after all this time. He had listened to Kakashi's retelling of the story with interest, but he figured it was time to check things out for himself. Yuiko sat bolt upright in bed, furious. Jiraiya chuckled nervously. "Well, this is a … surprise. I'm glad to see that you're still in the land of the living!" he said cheerfully. Her expression didn't change.

"Ah, well," he continued, "I spoke to Tsunade. Told her a little about your past and about your standing with the two previous Hokage. Things are looking to be in your favor, you should know!"

"Why …" she said between clenched teeth, "did you think I would want to see you?"

This caught him off guard. He didn't expect Yuiko to be holding on to such a grudge.

"Look, when I was holding you back that night I was doing what Minato had asked me to —"

"Not that!" she yelled. "How long? How long did it take you to find out that I had left the village? And after that … why would you leave him all alone?! He grew up all alone! How could you do that to him? How could you do that to Minato and Kushina?!"

His face hardened. He thought carefully about how to word his answer. "I'm not proud of what I did," he said slowly. "When Minato died, I was in a bad place for a long time. The guilt I've had over their deaths … I held on to that for a lot longer than I should have."

Yuiko still regarded him with a wary expression, although her grip on the blanket loosened.

 _But it wasn't your fault,_ she thought. _It was mine. I should have known. I should have known why Minato sent me away. And even after that ..._

"I never should have left the village," Yuiko whispered, lowering her head. "I had always just assumed someone had stepped in to take my place. That someone else would be there to look after him. I made such a stupid mistake."

Jiraiya looked down at the girl in pity. He wanted to comfort her, but approaching Yuiko now would be like trying to pet a stray dog. Things could go well, but Jiraiya didn't want to risk getting bit (metaphorically speaking).

He cleared his throat. "Anyways," he said, "I'm planning on making up for it. I'm going to train Naruto the way I should have been for a while. We have about three years until the Akatsuki come back, and in that time I'm going to make sure he's strong enough to fend them off."

"The Akatsuki?" she asked, looking up at him. "They're a mercenary group, right? What do they want with him?"

"I don't know," he said, "but I think it would be a good idea for you to keep a low profile. They're after Naruto because he's a jinchūriki. It's possible that he's not the only one they want. I've talked to Tsunade about it, and we think that it would be a good idea to keep those outside this village thinking that you're still on the run. At least for now."

He opened the door, turning back to her with a smile, "you know, when you threw that water pitcher at me, you reminded me of Kushina. It's good to see that you still have that fire inside you." He laughed, closing the door behind him.


	23. Chapter 23

"Alright! Let's get started!" Jiraiya said, enthusiastically clapping his hands together. The two of them were only a few hours' walk outside Iwagakure. Yuiko was relieved that Jiraiya was finally going to fill her in on the plan. The two had mainly travelled in silence on the journey to Iwa. She had asked him a few times when they made camp on her instructions, but he had just casually waved her off and told her not to worry about it.

"First, take that mask off. That thing gives me the creeps."

Yuiko obliged, clipping her mask to her jacket.

"OK, so everything is all set up," he said. "You just need to stick close to me, keep your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open, got it?"

She nodded.

"Good! Just like that!" he put his hands on his hips, looking her up and down. "You should disguise yourself. Your picture is still in all the Bingo Books, so we don't want anyone recognizing you."

"What do you think the mask is for?" she asked dryly.

"I _know_ what the mask is for!" he said, frustrated, "but for this to work, you need to look … _normal_ , okay? And make it so that you look like we're related. I don't want to give any ladies the wrong idea."

Yuiko sighed, flashing through a few hand seals. She closed her eyes, and then was enveloped in a plume of smoke.

"Yeah! That's more like it!" Jiraiya cheered as the smoke dissipated.

Yuiko's hair had turned white and was tied into a long braid down her back. Her violet eyes were now black, with red glasses framing her face. She wore a simple green dress with a black belt, a red cardigan, and red slippers.

"Perfect! Now I can just pass you off as my niece, or something," he said.

"Or something," Yuiko repeated.

"Alright, time's a-wastin'! We don't want to be late!"

—

Yuiko steadied her breathing. She had been able to break away for now, but she knew she had to go back. But her body wouldn't move. She was frozen in terror from the scene outside the small room. The level of depravity was like nothing she had witnessed before; she cursed Jiraiya for bringing her to this horrible place. She jumped as the door beside her slammed open.

"Now hold on, everyone! Don't worry; I just need to grab a few more copies!" Jiraiya chirped. His expression grew annoyed as he turned to look at Yuiko. "What are you doing back here? I sent you to get more copies almost 10 minutes ago. Come on!" He grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her from the storage closet into the bookstore. He guided her to a table and roughly snatched the books she had clutched tightly in her arms. A large screen was hung behind them with " _Make-Out Tactics_ " printed in bold characters. A huge crowd filled the store, clamoring to get up to the table where Jiraiya sat, signing copies of his book. He chatted happily with them, occasionally raising his voice to assure the rowdy crowd that there was "enough of him to go around."

The buildup of anger that had first erupted in Yuiko when she found out that _this_ was their cover was soon replaced by panic as the bookstore filled with people. What's worse, she wasn't blending in with any of them. She was standing front and center for everyone to see. She was resigned to taking quick, shallow breaths to keep her anxiety under control as she stood silently next to Jiraiya.

If she wasn't busy spending so much energy trying not to hyperventilate, Yuiko would have been able to better appreciate how Jiraiya had so seamlessly integrated her into his operation. Soon after donning her disguise, the pair had crossed paths with a salt merchant who was on his way out of Iwa. The conversation started with Jiraiya making pleasantries about the weather and complimenting the merchant on his cart, to somehow devolving to the two men whispering and giggling about the various hostess bars they liked to haunt. Yuiko had almost completely tuned out at this point when she noticed the merchant slide something into Jiraiya's front pocket while laughing over a raunchy comment about one of the bar's matrons. After they parted ways, Jiraiya explained that his publisher had already updated those monitoring Jiraiya's visit, letting them know that he would be bringing along his assistant. And thanks to some help from the undercover Konoha shinobi stationed in the area, he now had the paperwork to prove her identity if needed. Which they most certainly did, since Iwa shinobi were a suspicious bunch. But, apparently not suspicious enough to bar entry to the author of the current most popular book series in the Land of Earth. If Jiraiya wasn't such a pervert, Yuiko would have suspected the entire reason he continued to write his book series was to gain access to certain areas with decreased suspicion. But after watching him go into thorough detail of the main love interest's body measurements for the seventh time that day, she knew that wasn't the case.

As the day wore on into the evening, the crowd finally dissipated. Yuiko was aware of Jiraiya speaking with the owner of the bookstore, before heading out in good spirits. The two of them made their way through the winding streets lined with towering buildings back to the rather high-end inn where they were staying. As they entered their shared suite, she headed directly to her room, collapsing on the bedroll. Her disguise disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Jiraiya walked past, a disapproving look on his face. "Look, Yuiko, you're going to have to step things up unless you want to blow our cover. My publisher arranged for a party tonight with some of the higher-ups in this village, and people will take notice if I leave you behind. I need you there with me to gather intel, you understand?"

Yuiko's eyebrow twitched. This was going to be a rough night.

—

The two of them stood alone in an empty stairwell. They had both changed into formal kimonos, and Yuiko had regained her disguise. Jiraiya had used the excuse of needing the washroom as they entered the building where the party was being held to get a minute alone. It was a pretty lame excuse that he was sure their escort didn't believe for a second, but his companion didn't leave him much choice. Yuiko was anxious, and it was going to throw a wrench into their plan if she didn't get it together. Jiraiya took a deep breath, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Look, you have it easy, okay? You're a young, attractive woman who's related to a world-renowned author. Just keep calm and let the men come to you. You don't even have to talk much; they'll just think you're playing coy."

"I'm not very good at this kind of thing," she said hesitantly.

"Yeah, I can tell," he replied. "Just, I don't know, find something you can talk about without getting flustered. It's easy!"

He clapped her on the back and the two made their way back to the escort, who had probably enhanced his hearing to listen to every word. Luckily, it was easy to misconstrue their conversation as a simple pep talk for a young lady struggling with nerves, so Jiraiya was sure he could play it off.

As they walked through the building, Yuiko's anxiety momentarily took a back seat as she noticed a number of shinobi guards littered about the hallways.

 _Seems excessive for a party,_ she thought.

They approached a set of double red doors, which Jiraiya swung open with gusto. As they entered the room he immediately approached a group near the door, thanking them all for coming. Yuiko looked around the hall. There were around fifty or so guests, all dressed in fine attire. She spotted at least twelve staff at the moment, all attending to the guests or to the food laid out on the long banquet table.

 _There are three easy exits. The main door, the side door, and the window. I can also phase in any direction if I need to take a gamble on where I'll end up. I need to stay no more than 20 feet away from Jiraiya at all times_ —

"Drink?"

She turned to the waiter standing next to her with a tray. She stared at him until he slinked away uncomfortably.

 _Okay, Yuiko. You can do this._

—

"And then I said, 'No way, pal! You're lucky, but there's no way you're _that_ lucky,' right? And sure enough, the guy had two sets of weighted dice hidden up his sleeve! Can you believe it?!"

The group laughed merrily at Jiraiya's tale.

 _So far, so good,_ he thought.

"My goodness, Jiraiya! You and that niece of yours have the best stories!" said a plump woman to his right.

"My niece? You don't say?" he said.

"That's funny, she told me that she was his great niece when I spoke to her earlier this evening," chimed in a man to his left.

"She told me she was his great _great_ niece! What a wonderful bond the two of you must have to jest in that way. Not to be rude, but how old are you exactly, Jiraiya? A few of us have a bet going at this point."

The group laughed, Jiraiya chiming in halfheartedly. "Yes, she is something, right? In fact, I haven't seen her in a while. I better go check in to make sure she isn't being propositioned to become someone's third wife! I've got my eye on you, Kazuhiro!" he said, gesturing to an older man with an impressive mustache.

The group laughed again as he made his way through the hall. He approached a group of women, inquiring if they had seen her.

"Oh yes, your assistant! She's the one who's also a pet therapist, right? What an interesting career!"

"A … Pet therapist? Yup! That's … the one," Jiraiya forced out. They pointed him in the direction of the food table, but Yuiko was nowhere to be found. He exhaled, rubbing his eyebrows. "I can't believe she left," he mumbled to himself. "When I find her —"

"Hey, you're blocking my view."

Jiraiya turned to look at the potted plant behind him. A pair of hands reached out, and parted the leaves to reveal Yuiko's face.

"Are you crazy? What are you doing?" he whispered angrily.

"I've spoken to all the party attendees," she said matter-of-factly. "They do not appear to have any information regarding the Akatsuki. I've decided to survey the area to collect more information. The shinobi in the room next door seemed to have changed shifts …"

"Just get out of there!" Jiraiya snapped.

Yuiko stepped out from behind the bush. He put his hands on her shoulders, plastering a fake smile on his face. "Look, you can do things your way when you're out in the field, but you need to do things _my_ way when we're here. I have a lot of important contacts I don't want to lose. So if you need to, you can stand in that corner over there and keep out of trouble. And quit it with the 'pet therapist' stuff. And making me look old."

"But you are old."

"Not _that_ old! Just keep things low-key!"

He stepped away, waving at someone across the room. "Ayaka! Who let you in here, huh?" he said with a laugh. Yuiko watched him go, and then returned to her spot behind the bush when no one was looking. She phased through the wall, releasing her disguise as she did so in order to decrease her chakra signature. She momentarily stuck only her eye into the next room, and then noiselessly stepped out on the side of a large freezer. The adjacent room was a kitchen, which was now mostly devoid of people except for the occasional waiter and two Shinobi guards playing cards. She could understand the party having security: Jiraiya was kind of a celebrity, but he was also a legendary shinobi from Konoha. However, Yuiko had counted five guards outside, two at the main door, the two in the kitchen, and another six as she and Jiraiya made their way through the building earlier. It seemed excessive for a simple book release.

"Hey, have you heard about the Kazekage?" one of the guards asked.

Yuiko's ears perked up. She remained completely still, hidden behind the bulky machine.

"Who hasn't?" replied the second guard. "Rumor has it that it was the Akatsuki. Those guys give me the creeps."

"Deidara is one of them now, you know."

"No shit? I always thought that maniac would have blown himself to pieces by now."

"Ha! If we'd be so lucky. I actually saw him a few months back — I was on a team delivering mission documents. I think it was the last time, too. Pretty sure the Tsuchikage didn't want to deal with them anymore once he got wind that Deidara was a part of the group. Don't tell anyone, but I even talked to him."

"Oh yeah? What did the bastard have to say?"

"Not much. Some bullshit about how he's more free to 'express his art' now than in Iwa. He did complain about how it's always raining where he is now, though. How it would 'dampen his creativity' or something. The guy's unhinged, that's for sure."

"If it had been me, I would have killed him."

The other guard snorted.

"Hey, what are you —"

A knock came at the door. Yuiko could hear the two guards scrambling to their feet. The door opened and someone else entered the room.

"It's time," the new voice said. "Wait outside. We're going in to get the writer."

She listened as their footsteps left the room, closing the door behind them. She peeked out from around the freezer, then slinked over to the door, placing her ear against it. She heard muffled voices that grew fainter as they moved away from her location. She crouched slightly, then jumped, phasing through the ceiling. She positioned herself into a crawl space before releasing her jutsu. It wasn't unheard of for buildings in shinobi villages to have crawl spaces for sneaking around. She just hoped she could use them unimpeded until she located Jiraiya. She started by moving above the hallway, then making her way in the direction she heard the voices headed. Her kimono made the process cumbersome, but she decided to bear it just in case she needed to make a quick change back to her disguise.

The crawlspace ended, and she peeked below to see that the hallway stopped at a door to a stairwell. She quickly dropped through the ceiling and phased through the door. She could faintly hear the echo of voices above her. This stairwell was much more ornate than the ones before, rising up in a large spiral that had been carved from stone to look like the body of a dragon. She crept up the steps, noticing through the small windows in each door that every floor seemed to have shinobi stationed outside, but none in the stairwell itself. She picked up the pace, using chakra to dampen the sound of her footsteps. She could see the door at the top of the stairwell open, then shut with a clang. She approached the door carefully; happy to notice that it, too, had glass panes in it like the others. She pressed herself against the wall and slowly peered in. A dozen shinobi lined the hallway. She could make out the back of Jiraiya's robe as he entered the room at the end of the hall. The door shut behind him.

 _If I use a smoke bomb, I can take some of them out quickly, but I'll probably still have to deal with at least six after the surprise wears off. They look like jōnin, so it won't be easy._

" _Any way you can get in there without making a scene?"_ Kokuō asked.

 _We can take a gamble that there are more crawl spaces above the room at the end of the hallway. Also that those crawl spaces are empty._

" _How about we try that first, hmm?"_

 _If you insist._

Yuiko leapt upwards, phasing through the ceiling. After a few feet of rock, she was met with a shock of cold air.

 _The roof?_

A handful of shinobi guards stood around the circumference of the building, looking down to the street below. Yuiko dashed for a few feet to hide behind an exhaust vent, kicking up a pebble in her hurry.

"What was that?" a guard called out.

 _Dammit._

Yuiko phased through the floor, and found herself in a large, dimly lit room. She landed softly, taking cover behind a looming object to her left. She was surprised to see that the object was a sculpture of a man in shinobi gear. In fact, the entire room was littered with sculptures of various men and animals, large and small.

 _What the hell is this place?_

She tensed at the sound of approaching footsteps. Jiraiya appeared in view, studying one of the other sculptures. She let out a small sigh of relief. The door to the room suddenly opened, and she shifted position to see the owner of the new set of footsteps echoing throughout the chamber. A short, old man with a long beard and bulbous nose came into view.

"My least favorite room in the place. I can't stand all these useless displays of vanity my predecessors commissioned," he said gruffly.

"I rather like them," Jiraiya responded. "Although I am an artist myself, so perhaps I'm biased."

He walked over to the old man and bowed his head. "I'm honored to meet you, sir. It's not every day that I'm asked to have a private audience with the Tsuchikage himself."

 _The Tsuchikage? I had no idea Jiraiya was planning on meeting with the leader of this village himself! His plan all along must have been to extract information from the source. I hate to admit it, but it's actually brilliant._

"So, Lord Tsuchikage, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Jiraiya asked casually.

The Tsuchikage suddenly looked uncomfortable. He reached his hand into his jacket. "There is something," the old man said, "that I would like for you to do for me, Jiraiya."

 _This must have to do with the Akatsuki!_ Yuiko thought. _The guard downstairs said something about the Tsuchikage having a falling out with the Akatsuki when that man Deidara joined the group. If he's coming to Jiraiya for help, this could be tremendous!_

The old man pulled out a stack of books, handing them to Jiraiya. "Would you ... sign these for me?"

The wind left Yuiko's lungs.

 _I should just die. Right now._

"Well, of course!" Jiraiya roared with glee. He pulled out a pen, flipping the book on top open. "I see these are first-edition! So you're a fan of my work, I take it?"

The Tsuchikage grunted, furrowing his brow. "Although I can never admit it, I am. I have a reputation to uphold, so I trust that you'll be discreet."

"Of course, of course," Jiraiya responded. He finished signing the books, handing them back to the Tsuchikage.

The old man quickly tucked the books back into his jacket. "Come now. We don't want anyone from the party to miss you."

"I have to insist that you join me! Your caterers did an excellent job," Jiraiya said with a smile.

"Hmph. perhaps I can make an appearance …"

The door closed behind them, leaving Yuiko alone in the dark.

"You have got to be kidding me," she said aloud to no one in particular.

.

* * *

.

Yuiko trekked along sullenly by Jiraiya's side. Iwagakure faded from view behind them as they made their way down the mountain pass. She frowned at Jiraiya when she noticed him looking at her.

"Why the long face, kid?" he asked.

"You're joking," she said. "We went on this stupid mission of yours, and the only one who came back with anything useful was me. And even I didn't get much," she said glumly. She held two fingers up in the "earth" sign, her disguise dissipating in a cloud of smoke. When the smoke cleared, she was back in her Anbu gear, her mask obscuring her face. "You just used this trip as an excuse to boost your own ego."

"It wouldn't hurt for you to have a little more faith in me, you know," he said. "And I did get something useful. Or, I think it might be. A couple of the merchants mentioned a sudden uptick in trade with Amegakure. Seems a bit unusual, considering their overall isolation and poor economy."

 _Amegakure — 'the Village Hidden in the Rain,'_ she thought.

"It could be nothing," he continued, "but it might be worth looking into nonetheless."

"I agree," she said.

Jiraiya looked at Yuiko in interest. She shared with him the conversation she overheard between the two guards.

"I see …" Jiraiya said slowly. "Well, that gives my theory a little more credibility, even if it is just circumstantial. And adding this guy Deidara to the list of known Akatsuki doesn't hurt, either."

They looked up at the sound of a hawk cry overhead. The bird circled above them until Jiraiya lifted up his arm. It landed gently, bending over to offer the scroll tied to its back. Jiraiya untied the scroll, then moved the bird onto his shoulder. "Release!"

The seal on the scroll sizzled before disappearing. Yuiko watched anxiously as he read the message. Jiraiya smirked. "They succeeded in bringing back the Kazekage. Even though …" he furrowed his brow. Yuiko held her breath. "The Akatsuki took his Tailed Beast. But Gaara didn't die. Interesting. Do you know how that could be?"

Yuiko racked her memory before slowly shaking her head. "No. Not unless he was an Uzumaki. But even then, he would still die … it would just take longer. That's something completely new to me."

Jiraiya nodded. "We'll follow up with Tsunade when we get back. That is just the highlight of what happened, after all." He continued to read the scroll, then furled it back up. It burst into flames and crumpled to ashes in his hand. He pulled out a blank scroll from his pocket and scribbled in a short message. He coaxed the bird back onto his forearm, sliding the scroll into its pack. "Off you go!"

The bird flapped its wings and disappeared into the sky.

"Just a quick message letting Tsunade know we're on our way back," he said. "We should be able to take our time. Maybe hit up a hot spring or two …"

"Um, Jiraiya?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"Did the message say anything about the squad? Is everyone alright?"

"Oh, yeah," he said, "they're all fine. Kakashi landed himself in the hospital, but _—_ "

"What?!"

"Don't worry! He's fine! The scroll didn't have specifics, but I'm sure it's no big deal."

"I'm going on ahead," Yuiko said curtly, leaving his side. "You can take your time if you want."

She leapt down the trail, vanishing from sight.

"You have got to be kidding me," Jiraiya said to no one in particular.


	24. Chapter 24

"Here's a get-well gift!" Jiraiya said enthusiastically, placing two copies from his _Make-Out_ series on the nightstand. Kakashi sat up in his hospital bed, regarding them passively.

"I'm sure you've read them, but it will help pass the time, if you know what I mean," Jiraiya said with a wink.

"Thanks, but you didn't come back to the village just to see me, did you?" Kakashi asked.

"Well, not me," Jiraiya chuckled. The door to the hospital room slid open. Yuiko stood in the doorway, catching her breath. She cradled a vase of white lilies in one arm, giving Jiraiya an idea where she abruptly ran off to when they reached Konoha. Yuiko approached them, and to Jiraiya's surprise Kakashi darted forward with a surprising display of speed as he tried to intercept the medical chart Yuiko yanked off the foot of the bed. Yuiko moved the chart out of reach, Kakashi's shoulders slumping in defeat. Kakashi had a bad habit of landing himself in the hospital, and it was almost always due to the same thing. The thing that Yuiko, Guy, and even Asuma would lecture him about when given the chance. The thing that he knew would be displayed most prominently on that chart.

 _"Chakra Deprivation."_

Yuiko put down the chart, clutching her free hand into a fist. She put her hand on Kakashi's head, rubbing her knuckles into his scalp.

"Ow! I'm injured, you know," Kakashi stated. She withdrew her hand, looking him over with a worried expression.

"You two are just too cute," Jiraiya smirked. Yuiko slowly turned her gaze to him. Jiraiya held up his palms in submission with a nervous chuckle. "Let's change the subject! We can fill each other in on the details from our missions while we wait for Tsunade and her man."

"Her man?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes, he'll be going by Yamato for this mission. I think you'll both know him when you see him."

Yuiko and Kakashi exchanged a questioning look.

—

"Seriously? That's why you didn't show back up at the suite until nearly daybreak? I just figured you had found yourself, er, 'preoccupied' with one of the party guests …"

"No. I had to wait for an opening to get out of the building unnoticed. I'm going to have nightmares of those horrible statues for weeks."

Jiraiya laughed heartily. Yuiko turned away from them to pout. "It's not funny," she said.

"It's a little funny," Kakashi quipped.

They fell silent as the sound of footsteps filled the hallway.

"Kakashi, may we enter?" a voice rang out from the other side of the door.

"Come on in," Kakashi replied. The door slid open. Yuiko looked on as Tsunade walked in, followed by Shizune, and …

 _Captain Tenzō?!_

Puzzled, Yuiko rose from her seat as she watched the man with brown hair and large, almond-shaped eyes walk into the room. Tenzō had been the Anbu member assigned to supervise her for the past few years as she became reacclimated to the village. His wood-style jutsu had powerful sealing capabilities — enough to keep even a jinchūriki in check.

 _Did I mess up on this last mission? Is Lady Tsunade reassigning me to him again?_

"Kakashi! I can't say we've chatted for a while," the man said cheerily. "And Yuiko, I'm glad to see you made it back from your first mission outside the Anbu in one piece."

His friendly demeanor helped to decrease her uncertainty, and she couldn't help but to return the smile.

"So, this is the Yamato you were talking about. Go figure," Kakashi said.

"You're correct. I'll be filling in as team leader while you're out of commission," Yamato stated.

"And as such," Tsunade interjected, "I need him to know exactly what he'll be dealing with."

Yamato glanced at Yuiko, then back to Tsunade. "I take it this is about Naruto," he said.

"Correct," Jiraiya answered. "I've been told you're already familiar with a jinchūriki's cloaking abilities?"

Yamato nodded. When Yuiko had first returned to the village, Tsunade had ordered tests to assess his capabilities in sealing away the power of a jinchūriki. Tsunade, himself, and a handful of other Anbu had all escorted Yuiko to a remote area outside the village. There, she activated her cloak. He watched in amazement as her body was enveloped in red chakra, her power magnifying tremendously.

Yuiko had waited patiently while he implemented his chakra suppression seal using the wood-release. The test was successful, but he did feel a little guilty cutting off chakra from someone who was acting so passively. When Yuiko regained consciousness, she wasted no time in correcting him on imperfections she noticed concerning his sealing technique. Her bluntness bothered him at first, but she was helpful. Over time, he found that he was able to suppress her chakra when she used up to four of her tails. They had been working on improving to the fifth tail, but they'd made little progress in the past few months.

 _And Naruto can have up to nine,_ he thought, his expression grim.

"When Naruto uses the cloak, it's a bit different than in Yuiko's case," Kakashi said. "The cloak appears when he lets himself be engulfed by his emotions. He loses all control. Luckily, I was able to use the chakra suppression seal that Yuiko gave me before things got out of hand. Who knows what might have happened if I didn't intervene."

"The Nine-Tails would have taken over," Yuiko said bluntly. "Eventually, all nine tails would form on the cloak. The Tailed Beast would release itself from Naruto's body, killing him."

Everyone looked about uncomfortably. Kakashi eventually lifted his head, regarding Jiraiya. "How many tails have you seen, master Jiraiya?" he asked.

"Hmph," Jiraiya answered. He began to take off his jacket. "In all my years of living, I've come close to death only twice. The first time, Tsunade caught me doing 'research' at a hot spring, and beat me like a drum. The second time …"

He lifted up his shirt, revealing a large, star-shaped scar across his chest. "The second time, Naruto and I were training, and the fourth tail appeared."

Tsunade studied Jiraiya with a worried look for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. "Is there anything you can do?"

It took Yuiko a moment to realize that she was speaking to her.

"I … I'm not sure," she said, embarrassed. "Kokuō has been my ally for as long as I can remember. I trust her more than anyone. I don't know how anyone could handle the powers of a Tailed Beast without that level of trust." She looked down at the floor, clasping her hands behind her. "I'd have to study the seal, but there's no guarantee I can actually reinforce it. I can make more chakra suppression seals, but I don't think they will be as effective as Captain Ten — Ya-Yamato's sealing technique."

It was clearly not the answer Tsunade had wanted to hear, but she nodded in acceptance. "Well, you heard her. Yamato, I'm putting my faith in you on this one. At least you've had plenty of practice. If you'll excuse me." Tsunade crossed the room, opening the door. Shizune followed, closing the door behind them.

"Worried?" Kakashi asked.

Yamato grinned, "Not in particular. Considering how things went with the team this morning, I think I have other things to worry about."

"Huh? What is that supposed to mean?" Kakashi questioned.

"Nothing to concern yourself with," Yamato replied. "The team will be headed out shortly. I'd best go prepare."

"What's the mission?" Yuiko asked.

"I'm afraid I can't say," Yamato said.

Yuiko's eyes narrowed as she stared at him. Yamato stared back, unblinking.

"She can do that all day you know," Kakashi said, as the length of their stare stretched on.

"I know," Yamato said, "it's usually a lot easier to ignore with the mask."

Yuiko broke their gaze with a resigned shrug. "Watch out for yourself. If you don't come back, who's going to remind me to brush my teeth and tell me which shoe to put on first?"

"I wasn't _that_ bad," Yamato replied, a little sheepish. Yuiko smiled, flashing him a thumbs-up. He returned the gesture, then exited the room with a curt nod to Kakashi and Jiraiya.

Jiraiya yawned as he finished straightening out his jacket. He stepped up onto the ledge outside the open window. "Well, I figure the two of us will be hanging around here at least until Naruto gets back from that mission he's going on. In the meantime, I've got better things to do than spend my day in a hospital room. No offense."

"I wouldn't be here myself if I could help it," Kakashi said with a shrug.

"Besides," Jiraiya smirked, "I'm sure the two of you wouldn't mind having a little _alone_ time." He leapt from the window into the courtyard below. The sound of him whistling as he walked drifted faintly through the window.

"I'm sure you enjoy his company," Kakashi remarked.

"Oh, it's an absolute _delight_ ," Yuiko replied.


	25. Chapter 25

"Good morning!" Yuiko exclaimed.

Naruto sat down heavily at the dining room table, grabbing himself a bowl of rice. "Good morning," he mumbled.

Yuiko watched him eat with a content smile on her face. Naruto eyed her wearily.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Uh, well," he stammered.

 _Think of something to say,_ he thought. _Think of anything to say other than "you give me the creeps."_

"I, um, am just worried, is all," he said.

"About?" Yuiko asked, her eyes growing wide as she leaned closer to him in her chair.

"Eh …"

In truth, there were a lot of things Naruto had to worry about. The Akatsuki and his recent run-in with Sasuke on the mission he had just returned from being a few of them. But he wasn't sure how much of that he really wanted to share with someone like Yuiko.

Yuiko's expression changed from curious to concerned. "It's the Nine-Tails, isn't it?" she asked.

"You know about that too, huh?"

She nodded, turning away from him in thought. "I could try something …" she said hesitantly.

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"You don't know much about our clan, do you?" she said, returning his gaze.

In truth, Naruto had completely forgotten that Yuiko was also an Uzumaki. "Oh, sure! Our clan! They do, uh …"

"Fūinjutsu."

"Oh yeah, that! Which is …?"

"Sealing techniques."

Naruto smiled as the realization hit him. "I get it! So you can help make the seal for the Nine-Tails stronger, right?"

"I can try."

"Alright! Let's do it! Then when I don't have to worry about that stupid fox, I can start my training with Kakashi-Sensei and learn the strongest ninjutsu ever!"

—

The two of them emerged from the forest onto a rocky bluff, looking out over the trees below. Yuiko had chosen the most remote training ground in Konoha that she knew.

 _I can't mess this up,_ she told herself. _But just in case, at least the village will have some warning …_

She shook her head, eliminating the thought. Yuiko inhaled deeply, turning around to face Naruto with a smile. "You ready?" she asked.

"I was born ready!" he said, punching his open palm with a fist.

Yuiko nodded. "Alright — just remember, keep your cool. If anything goes wrong, I'll handle it. You just need to trust me."

She extended her hand. Naruto hesitated slightly, then grasped it.

He blinked. He was staring into the distant darkness of a dimly lit hallway. Yuiko had disappeared. He turned around, water sloshing at his feet. Yuiko stood with her back to him, facing the Nine-Tails. The beast crouched behind enormous red metal bars that reached up into darkness.

"Oh ho? My jailer has been keen on bringing me visitors lately, it seems," the Nine-Tails said. Its voice rumbled deeply throughout the chamber. "This one doesn't appear to be an Uchiha this time, though."

Yuiko approached the cell, forming large ripples as the water splashed about her feet.

"Hey, be careful! Don't get too close!" Naruto warned.

The tip of an enormous claw shot through the bars. Yuiko batted at it absentmindedly, the claw dissipating into a number of red bubbles.

"You haven't activated the cloak on Naruto," she said as she reached the cage. Yuiko put out her hand, sliding it along the edge of the paper seal. "You can't possess a physical form outside the bars as you are now."

The Nine-Tails grunted in frustration. It shifted its head, putting her under the gaze of a large, red eye. "You smell of something familiar … of grass and open air."

Its massive brow furrowed as its pupil dilated. "You seem to be another jailer," it spat.

"Shut up, I'm busy," she said. Yuiko placed her palm on the center of the seal, drowning out the Nine-Tail's nasty reply to her remark.

The seal itself had been executed perfectly; she wondered if even her Grandfather would have been able to create such a powerful seal that could hold for so long. Minato did always have an eye for detail. He had designed the seal with the intention of Naruto undoing it, if he were to ever reach a point at which he and the Nine-Tails could work together. Yuiko admired his optimism, but felt that he had made a mistake thinking that the Nine-Tails, an embodiment of pure rage, could ever be brought to heel. She pondered if she could fill in the cracks. Potentially, she could push the Nine-Tails so far down into Naruto's psyche that it would only be able to claw its way out if Naruto went completely insane.

The seal itself had different steps that activated at the growth of a new tail when the Nine-Tail's cloak was formed. She pushed more of her chakra into the seal, digging deeper to study the last steps. Maybe there she could find what she needed to close the gaps. Then she could —

She gasped. Her body was suddenly awashed with warmth as something pushed back at her.

 _The step at the eighth tail ... it's you!_

The surprise caused her to nearly lose her place in the inner workings of the seal. Minato's presence glowed merrily in her subconscious, like warm sunlight on a clear summer day. He had embedded a part of himself within the seal upon his death. A final failsafe.

 _A chance to meet his son._

Her resolve faltered. Reinforcing the seal meant closing every gap Minato left behind, including the piece of his chakra. But doing nothing meant that Naruto would continue to struggle to keep control of the beast. That he would spend every moment fighting it, keeping it at bay —

' _The last thing I want is for you to feel that you're stuck on a path that had already been carved out for you. Life is much more enjoyable when you find your own way.'_

She remembered the look on Minato's face when he said that to her. The way she felt that she had finally been let free.

Her hand dropped limply from the seal. Yuiko slowly opened her eyes, turning around to look down the hallway. Naruto looked back at her with a worried expression. She gave him a weak smile, stepping away from the seal.

"So? Did you do it? Did it work?" he asked excitedly. Yuiko stopped before him, taking his hands in hers. Naruto looked back at her warily.

"No," Yuiko said cheerfully, "but I want you to meet someone."

"Huh? Meet someone? And what's with that face if you couldn't do anything?!" Naruto exclaimed.

His breath caught in his chest as the scene around them burst into shards and blew away in the wind. They stood in a lush forest; trees reaching up to the sky farther than Naruto could see.

"This is my oldest friend, Kokuō," Yuiko said, looking over his shoulder.

He turned and yelped at the sight of a large, horse-like beast lying casually behind him. Its white coat glistened as it moved to bring a giant blue eye to his level.

"Pleased to meet you, Naruto. I'm always happy to meet an acquaintance of Yuiko's," it said. Although it spoke softly, he could still feel its voice reverberating through his body in much the same way as the Nine-Tails'.

"Wha-what are you?" he gasped.

The beast chuckled. "Here, perhaps this will help," it said, raising five tails into view.

Naruto stared at them, mouth agape. He looked at Yuiko, then back at the tails. He looked back and forth a few more times before finally pointing at Yuiko. "I … I get it! You're another jinchūriki, aren't you?!"

Yuiko smiled, giving a curt nod.

"What the hell?!" Naruto yelled, "Why didn't you tell me?! All this time you were … And your Tailed Beast is …" he trailed off, gazing at Kokuō. "... friendly. I didn't know they could be nice."

"This is why I wanted you to see her," Yuiko said, placing her hand on Kokuō's muzzle. "Maybe Kokuō is different from the others. Maybe the rest of them are like the Nine-Tails. But … I don't think that's true. I think that, maybe, even the Nine-Tails can become like Kokuō."

"What? Are you crazy?" Naruto said. "Trust me, I know that thing inside and out. There's no way the Nine-Tails is ever going to be on my side."

"You could be right," she said, taking his hand, "but I think there are more possibilities open to you than you know. It's up to you to find your own way."

"My own way?" he said.

His ears were filled with the sound of rustling leaves intertwined with a faint melody. The song was oddly familiar. The scene around them tore into pieces like leaves drifting in the wind. The two of them stood facing each other atop the cliff. Yuiko released his hand.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner, Naruto. I thought Jiraiya would have mentioned it to you at some point, but I guess I should have known better."

"So am I, like, the only person who didn't know?" he asked.

"Pretty much. My entry is still in the Bingo Book, so most of the other Konoha shinobi who've met me are aware," she replied.

"So I'm the last person to learn something important again, huh?" he said, downtrodden.

"Some people need a little more time coming to conclusions," she replied.

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

"It wasn't meant to."

Naruto couldn't help but smirk.

"Oh," Yuiko said, her expression growing stern. "Don't ever repeat those words you heard the Nine-Tails say just now. Those are very _bad_ words."

"Uh, right," Naruto said, making a mental note to ask Kiba later what some of them meant.

"Look, Yuiko ..." he said, rubbing the back of his head as they began to walk. "What I said before about you moving out — you can stay, if you want."

"I'm glad that you say that," she said, cheerfully ruffling his hair, "since I wasn't planning on leaving anyway."

"It would be nice if you stopped treating me like a little kid, though", he said, adjusting his headband.

"But you are a kid," she said flatly.

Naruto sighed.


	26. Chapter 26

Kakashi lifted his head to take in a long breath of fresh air. He had just been released from the hospital, and was looking forward to a few days at home on bed rest. Tsunade had given him a clean bill of health, but he was enjoying milking the time off to catch up on some reading. As he strode past the hospital gate, he noticed a figure leaning against one of the pillars. Yuiko pushed herself from the pillar and greeted him cheerfully. "I ran into Shizune earlier. Looks like she was right about Lady Hokage letting you out today."

"Looks like it," he said. "Thank you, by the way, for keeping Naruto off my back. If there wasn't someone holding him at bay, I'm sure he would have been camped out outside my room all week. Patience isn't one of his strong suits."

Yuiko suddenly looked embarrassed. "Yeah, right, about that …"

"Hmm?"

"Well, he agreed to leave you alone while you were in the hospital as long as I let him know as soon as you got out," she said sheepishly.

"If that's the case, I guess there's nothing to worry about," Kakashi said lightheartedly. "A good friend like you wouldn't sell me out like that, would you?"

"For a price," she said gleefully.

"Huh, is that so?" he said, a little wounded. "Perhaps I overestimated the extent of our friendship."

Yuiko crossed her arms defensively. "If you're going to train Naruto, then I want to make sure you're up to the task."

Kakashi tilted his head, slightly amused. "Oh? You don't think I can handle it, is that it?"

"Maybe I don't. You've been getting soft, spending all that time in bed."

His eye narrowed slightly. "I would call that a challenge, but I know you're not that careless."

"Spar with me," Yuiko said, her expression stern, "and I won't tell Naruto that you're out of the hospital before I leave tomorrow."

The two of them regarded each other for a moment, unmoving. Kakashi exhaled, turning away. "I think I'll take my chances, I'm not really in the mood to exert myself just yet."

"Wait!" Yuiko interjected desperately, "winner gets to make any one request!"

Kakashi stopped, cocking his head. "Any request, hmm? Are you sure you can afford that?"

Yuiko swallowed hard. The last time Kakashi beat her in a match, he requested an all-expense-paid trip to a hot spring resort. The time before that, a set of custom-weighted kunai. Before that …

Yuiko shook her head to clear her thoughts. "I won't lose this time!" she said, striking a confident pose, "so it won't matter if I can afford it."

Kakashi regarded her coolly. "Alright," he said, walking away from her. "I'll meet you in an hour. Doesn't matter where, I'll find it —"

Kakashi was pulled back as Yuiko grabbed the collar of his jacket.

"If you plan to win by leaving me to die of old age, it's not going to work," she huffed. "Come on."

—

The two of them approached a large, circular training field surrounded by a ring of trees.

"I figured it would be good for you to train somewhere easy," Yuiko remarked as they entered the grassy clearing.

"I hope you can retain that sense of humor after the match," Kakashi replied, taking in the direction of the breeze and the smells around him as he walked past her. He stopped, removing his hands from his pockets and facing her from the opposite end of the clearing.

"You ready?" she called out.

Kakashi nodded, pulling back his headband to uncover his left eye.

 _Her chakra reserve is larger than mine, so getting her to drain that as much as possible will put me at the best advantage,_ he thought _. But first, I need to gain some distance._

"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled, his hands weaving a series of signs before bringing his right hand up to his face mask.

A roaring ball of fire came barreling across the field toward Yuiko. She yanked a scroll from her side pouch, pulling it open as the flames reached her. The scroll was covered with a series of symbols that formed a circular pattern with a large, empty space at its center. The fireball was met with a shining blue light from the scroll, sucking the flames into the paper. The fireball disappeared, the scroll's pattern now having the symbol for 'fire' within the once-empty space. Yuiko closed the scroll, shoving it back in her pouch.

"A bit flashier than usual," she noted. "You must be desperate."

Yuiko's chakra sealing abilities were unique, but not because of the seals themselves. She wasn't using anything new— seals that could contain different types of jutsu were common, but it took a lot of energy to both absorb and release the chakra. What set her apart were her large chakra reserves, which did a lot to explain the Uzumaki clan's affinity toward fūinjutsu in the first place.

But unlike most of her former clan, Yuiko operated with a handicap: she had no nature affinity. It wasn't unheard of for a shinobi to have no nature affiliation, but the revelation normally resulted in the end of their short career since they were left unable to form more powerful jutsu. Yuiko could draw upon Kokuō's nature affinity, boil release, but the list of known users was so short that it would be the equivalent of wearing a sign that said "jinchūriki!" around her neck. Because of this, Lady Tsunade dissuaded her from using it outside dire situations.

However, Yuiko was able to use a diverse range of natures when it came to her chakra seals. On one hand, this granted her a variety not many others could possess. On the other hand, using a sealed jutsu took a lot more energy than simply knowing the technique, and the largest number of seals she had ever been able to use in combat before wearing herself out was five.

Yuiko was also capable of absorbing jutsu mid-combat, but she rarely used that skill unless she was familiar with her opponent. Fine-tuning how much chakra she needed to funnel into a seal during a fight didn't always work, and could leave her wide open if it took too long. She had, however, brought a few blank scrolls simply for this occasion. Kakashi was a wealth of resources when it came to different types of jutsu, and Yuiko had every intention of using that to her advantage when the time was right.

Yuiko came at Kakashi at a sprint, attempting to sweep his leg. He leapt back, Yuiko following with an undercut. She was slightly frustrated, but not surprised, that she couldn't phase through his arms when he blocked her attempt at his jaw. Kakashi altering his flow of chakra to keep her from utilizing her phasing jutsu in close combat wasn't anything new. It was times like this that called for her to be sneaky.

She waited patiently as they fought hand-to-hand. Finally, Kakashi countered an unsuccessful swipe at his shoulder with a blow to her gut with his right arm. Yuiko had to take the full force of the blow, but it gave her an opening to slap a chakra suppression seal on his forearm. His arm immediately went limp. As his attention was torn, she aimed a kick at his right side. Her leg phased through his now-useless arm, making contact with his ribs. He flew to the side, tumbling through the grass before regaining his balance in a crouching position.

Kakashi huffed, quickly putting the pointer finger from his left hand up to the seal. A small bolt of electricity crackled from his finger, turning the seal to ashes. He flexed his right arm, his fingertips tingling as they regained feeling. The only reason he wasn't completely immobilized at the moment was his quick reaction time; shifting the flow of chakra throughout his body to give himself a few extra seconds counteracting the seal's effects. Yuiko was aware he could handle the seal, but she had probably been banking on slowing him down with an injury.

"That would have been a great move, if it had actually hurt," he taunted.

Yuiko's eyebrow twitched at the sight of his carefree expression. She bolted in his direction.

Kakashi took a deep breath, his hands a flash of movement. "Water style: Water Bomb Jutsu!"

A torrential wave of water came crashing from his mouth towards Yuiko, and she skidded to a halt. She leapt back to keep ahead of the wave, whipping out another scroll and letting it unravel before her. The text began to glow as she funneled chakra into the paper, when something small sliced through it. She dropped the now useless scroll as a number of water senbon landed around her.

 _Dammit, he tricked me by hiding the senbon jutsu inside the water bomb_ , she thought as she retreated. _I'm sure he changed the chakra form of this jutsu so I can't phase through it. He's trying to push me underground … I can't fall for that, though. This is going to use a lot of chakra, but it's not like I have much choice …_

She pulled another scroll from her pouch and unraveled it. She landed in a crouch, dropping the scroll and slamming her palm against the center of the seal. "Wood Style: Domed Wall Jutsu!"

Wooden pillars shot up from the ground before her, bending to create a domed, cave-like formation. She remained crouched, the raging water breaking around the structure as it passed. The wall creaked in protest from the force of the wave, but held fast. When the water receded, she exited the dome, scanning the field. Amid the soaked grass, and a couple of downed trees, Kakashi was nowhere in sight.

 _He could have made it to the tree line, but he knows that would give me the advantage since I can move through the trees. No, I think I have an idea where he went._

Yuiko opened up a scroll from her pouch, placing her palm against the center. "Wood Style: Silent Strangle Jutsu!"

She slammed her hand against the grass. A low rumbling shook the ground beneath her.

"There you are!" she exclaimed.

Kakashi burst up through the soil, entangled in branches wrapping around his limbs. He struggled feebly, but found that the branches reinforced with chakra held him firmly in place. Yuiko casually walked in his direction.

"Your chakra sealing technique has vastly improved. I'm impressed," Kakashi said, attempting to free himself. "It looks like Ten — err, Yamato — was nice enough to lend you some of his jutsus."

"Yes, wood-style is really handy," Yuiko said, opening another scroll with a snap, "but, he wasn't the only one who helped me out when I mentioned I was planning on challenging you."

A devilish grin grew across her face. She slapped her hand against the paper. "Naruto lent me something too."

 _She wouldn't,_ Kakashi thought in disbelief.

She pulled her arm away from the paper, the familiar blue glow of the rasengan emerging from within. Yuiko tossed the scroll aside as she ran at him, the ball of wind energy swirling violently in her palm.

"Hey, Yuiko, don't you think this is a little much?!" Kakashi yelled over the raging wind, squirming to get away.

With a cry, Yuiko thrust the rasengan into Kakashi's chest. He cried out, then exploded into a torrent of water droplets.

 _A water clone?!_ _He must have made it while I was hiding behind the dome. Dammit, he made me waste two jutsus just holding off a clone …_

Yuiko sensed something approaching fast behind her. Her head snapped around, watching as a large, dog-like creature made of lightning shot toward her. She jumped, the creature scorching her arm as it whizzed past. With amazing speed, it spun around, her feet barely touching down as it came at her. She leapt back, annoyed that once again Kakashi had given his attack a tweak in its chakra form so she couldn't phase through it. But, she figured that was what Kakashi was counting on.

 _This jutsu is amazing. It moves almost as if it's sentient. I'm sure it must cost —_

She paused, smiling at the sudden realization.

—

Kakashi watched as his lighting hound darted around Yuiko. She didn't have time to counter, only dodge as his attack chased her relentlessly. It would graze her every now and then, but she was just fast enough to avoid a direct hit.

 _At the moment, anyway,_ he thought. _She's too far from the treeline to escape in that direction. Unless she wants to exhaust herself, she'll need to go underground._

He was sure she was stubbornly trying to avoid doing so though, since Kakashi's earth-style gave him an overwhelming advantage. Yuiko's phase allowed her move freely into the earth, but the act impaired her senses and didn't allow her to feel the vibrations in the soil around her. In her case, going underground was only useful for travel or if she knew exactly where her opponent was. But against Kakashi, the second she'd sink into the surface her fate would be sealed.

Kakashi had discovered some years ago that a simple tweak to the chakra form of any jutsu hindered Yuiko's ability to phase through it. Changing the chakra form made a jutsu's signature unstable and harder to control, but Kakashi was good enough at it now that he could apply it with ease. A small alteration to any of the earth-style jutsu in his arsenal would be enough to immobilize her. Either that, or a direct hit from his lightning hound.

 _Which I'll need to make soon, before my chakra —_

He wavered, watching Yuiko. She had been dodging the attack, but making no moves to counter. She wasn't taking any opportunities to move farther away from it, either.

 _She knows how much effort it's taking me to keep this up. She's pretending to struggle so that I'll continue to pursue with this attack. Clever, but I probably figured it out sooner than she had hoped._

He waved his arm, the bolt of lightning connecting him to the lightning hound snapping in two. The hound shone brightly, and then dissipated. He leapt backwards into the tree-line to take cover.

Two small scrolls fell at Yuiko's feet as her hands were enveloped in clouds of smoke. She threw a series of kunai past Kakashi, the knives planting firmly in the trees behind him. The bomb tags attached to the hilts of the kunai exploded on impact. Kakashi could feel the force of the explosion, followed by scorching heat on his back. He was thrown forward, tumbling into the clearing. Yuiko worked to quickly closed the gap between them.

"Thanks for letting me borrow this, but I thought it was about time I return it!" she yelled, pulling out a scroll. She opened it, putting her hand to the paper. "Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!"

She put her hand to her mouth, a large ball of fire erupting from it as she exhaled.

Kakashi immediately dropped underground, listening to the feint whooshing sound of the fireball passing by overhead. Other than the crackling sound from the few trees now engulfed in flames, everything grew eerily quiet. Kakashi picked up on a few weak vibrations that were popping up at random around the clearing. He puzzled over what they could be for a moment, noting that they were too far apart to all be from Yuiko's movements. Something struck the earth nearby, and he pushed the soil away to spot the tip of a kunai.

 _I think she might actually be trying to kill me._

Yuiko's second volley of exploding tags ignited, washing the training ground in orange light. The flames engulfed the clearing, creeping up the surrounding trees. Suddenly, the fire's center dissipated. The remaining flames twisted, then were snuffed out as the vortex of Kakashi's kamui sucked in oxygen from the air. Kakashi stood at the center of the clearing, the vortex around his left eye twisting the perception of the world around him.

Yuiko burst from the trees, flying toward Kakashi with her fist raised. Kakashi was hit with a sudden feeling of panic. She was moving so fast, he wouldn't be able to close the vortex in time before she made contact.

"Stay back! You'll —"

He stopped, staring at her right eye. The iris had turned black, with a red scythe-like pattern around the pupil.

 _Her eye … It looks like my mangekyō sharingan, but with the colors switched. What the hell is that?_

She moved through the vortex unaffected, her fist making contact with his jaw. He flew backward, bouncing along the burnt grass. His body skidded to a stop, face down. He felt Yuiko move his arms behind his back, pinning them with her knee. She grabbed his chin in one hand, and felt cold steel as she put a kunai to his throat with the other.

"It looks like I win, Kakashi-Sensei!" she chirped.

 _I finally did it,_ Yuiko thought. _It took every new technique I had, but I finally —_

Yuiko felt a slight pat on her back. She gasped, dropping the kunai. The familiar feeling of chakra being syphoned from her body hit as she began to lose feeling in her limbs. The clone beneath her disappeared in a 'poof!' of smoke.

"You know I don't like it when you call me that," Kakashi said, peeking his head over her shoulder. "I've been holding on to that extra chakra-suppression seal you gave me for Naruto. I'm sure you're proud it came in so handy."

Yuiko fell forward with a thump. Kakashi sighed, bending over to pat her hair.

"Maybe next time," he said sweetly.

Yuiko mumbled something inaudible from where she lay face down on the grass.

Kakashi put his pointer finger to the seal, using his lightning release to burn it off. Yuiko shakily pushed herself up onto her arms.

"When … did you make the shadow clone?" she choked.

"Oh, at the beginning. I used the Fire Ball Jutsu as a cover to create a clone while I hid in the tree line. I made a weaker water clone to keep you distracted while I had the shadow clone charge the lightning hound technique. Good job taking advantage of that jutsu, by the way."

Yuiko pushed herself into a sitting position. "It's not fair, using a chakra seal to beat me," she said with a glum expression.

Kakashi's eyes crinkled as he smiled. "They do call me the copy ninja."

Yuiko flexed her fingers as she regained the feeling in her arms. She attempted to brush some of the soot from her face, leaving behind grey streaks. "I really thought I had you that time," she pouted.

Kakashi sighed, pulling his headband down over his left eye as he sat down next to her. "You did … much better than I was expecting. However," he looked at her sternly, "I don't know if you did something or if it was a fluke, but I easily could have killed you with the kamui back there. I will admit, I probably shouldn't have used it in a sparring session …"

Yuiko waved away his concern. "It wasn't a fluke. I countered it."

"Well … That's some interesting news," he said with a side glance. "Enlighten me."

"I call it my dōjutsu seal," she said, wincing slightly as she poked one of the cuts along her arm. "It mirrors the effects of ocular jutsu. Cancelling it out. Sort of."

"That's an intriguing jutsu if it does what you claim. How does it work?"

"I can use it if a dōjutsu-based technique would affect my body in any way," she replied, "but I can't cancel out effects on other people, or on the user themselves. It's like putting a wall up instead of a window. Normally a shinobi using dōjutsu can see 'into' people to activate their jutsu. I just put up a block, like warding off a genjutsu."

Kakashi nodded, tilting his head back and drumming his fingers on the ground in thought. "So it wouldn't work to stop me from studying your movements, or copying anything you do."

"Right."

"You said it works like warding off a genjutsu," he continued. "How long can you keep it active?"

"Eh ..." Yuiko chuckled, looking away sheepishly. "Not long, unless I use Kokuō's help. It's _a lot_ of chakra. That's why the only thing I could do back there was punch you. The seal used everything I could spare before hurting myself."

"I've warned you before not to push yourself so hard," Kakashi said, leaning forward. "It could be dangerous to use up everything you have in a last-ditch effort."

"What were you just in the hospital for, again?" Yuiko asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Huh? Sorry, my ears are still ringing from the explosions so I missed that," Kakashi said, leaning his face on his hand as he studied her thoughtfully. "I can't say I've heard of something that could cancel out ocular jutsu before. How did you learn this?"

Yuiko scowled at his flippant attempt to change the subject, but knew it was worthless trying to push it. "A lot of practice," she said with a huff. "Remember the kid from the Hyūga clan who I fought in the Chūnin Exams?"

"Hoheto, right? He played you like a fiddle."

Yuiko's eyebrow twitched, remembering the old sting of defeat. "Anyway," she continued, "I had the idea, and he was nice enough to help me out. It took almost a year, but I think I have it working the way I want it to. It worked against a sharingan, so I'd consider it a success."

"So, it looks like I've uncovered the true reason you wanted to spar," he said, amused.

"If it worked against you, then hopefully it will work against someone like Itachi," she said.

"It would certainly be a good defense," Kakashi said with a nod. "Beating someone like him would need more than just that, though."

"I know," Yuiko said. "But he's after Naruto. And he hurt you."

Kakashi was a little taken aback by the remark, but Yuiko's concentration was already elsewhere as she turned her head in irritation.

"Although I really thought I could use it to win," she pouted.

"You almost did."

Yuiko brought her knees up to her chin. "Hmph."

Kakashi scratched the side of his face, a little guilty. The pouting afterwards was always his least favorite part of their matches. He did have to admit that Yuiko made quite the commendable effort this time around though. He smiled to himself as he surveyed the scorched earth around them, imagining the look on Tenzō's face when he receives the order to revitalize the clearing.

"Hey ... what do … you want?" Yuiko asked glumly.

"Huh? What do I want?" he said, turning his gaze back to her.

"You get a request. What do you want?" she said, not looking forward to the answer.

Kakashi leaned back on his elbows in thought. Yuiko squirmed, dreading what he was planning on coming up with this time.

"I don't know. What would you have asked for?" he asked.

She looked back at him, a little surprised, before gazing down at her feet.

"I would have asked you to clean my kitchen," she said hesitantly.

"What?" he laughed. "It seems a little silly to waste it on something like that, don't you think?"

A distant expression grew on her face. "Naruto … tried to cook me something."

The horror slowly dawned on him as his imagination caught up. "No … He's never ..."

Yuiko put her head in her hands, "I haven't been home in two days. The smell alone ..."

Kakashi regarded her with a smile. He wanted to laugh, but he knew that it would be like rubbing salt into a wound. "Come on, I'll make you something to eat. Sounds like you need a good meal."

* * *

A/N: Ah, the tale of Yuiko's one and only use of the rasengan (for reasons I'll go further into in the next chapter). I think we only need one Uzumaki running around with that, no?

And Kakashi's whipping out a lot more jutsus here than normal, but hey, maybe he's testing the waters to make sure he's fully recovered? And it's kind of a shame that he knows all these techniques, but they're not shown too often. Just thought it would make the fight a little more interesting!

 **BONUS:**

"So you think this will be useful?" Yuiko asked, unrolling the scroll on the grass.

"Absolutely!" Naruto grinned, a shadow clone popping into existence next to him as he raised his hand. The clone rapidly started to move its hands about Naruto's palm, forming a swirling ball of wind chakra. The shit-eating grin adorning both instances of Naruto's face was beginning to make Yuiko a little uncomfortable.

"What will happen if I hit him with this?" Yuiko asked, the text on the scroll glowing with a blue light.

"Err ... Nothing too bad!" Naruto chirped over the whooshing sound filling the training field. His clone met his gaze, raising his eyebrows. Naruto shrugged, turning back to the scroll.

"Rasengan!" Naruto yelled, shoving the glowing ball into the paper. The light faded, leaving behind the symbol for "wind" at the center of the scroll.

"Well I'm putting you down as an accomplice if I kill him," Yuiko said mildly, rolling up the scroll.

"You _might_ blow off his leg or something, but you _probably_ won't kill him," Naruto's clone said happily.

"Hey, don't tell her that!" Naruto said, wrestling his clone into a head-lock. "It's Kakashi-Sensei! He'll be fine!"

"And if he is," Yuiko said, putting the scroll into her side pouch, "I have plenty of exploding tags to handle what'll be left of him."

Naruto laughed nervously. "Hey ... You're not mad about what happened to the kitchen, right?"

"Huh? No, why ask that?"

"No reason! Just wanted to make sure!" Naruto said, sighing in relief.


	27. Chapter 27

Yuiko watched Kakashi's back as he worked in the kitchen, humming a tune she didn't recognize. She wasn't terribly surprised that cooking was among his long list of talents, which was odd, since she couldn't recall him cooking anything for her before.

 _Maybe he's bad at it. I hope not. If I have to choke down something similar to what Naruto made me, then I might actually die._

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat at the small folding table he had set up for them. Considering the size of his apartment, she had a feeling he didn't entertain guests very often. It was small and sparsely decorated — disturbingly so.

"I feel like I'm back at the hospital. You could at least get a plant," she remarked.

"Well, the most time I spend here is sleeping," Kakashi replied, not bothering to leave the kitchen. "I can't justify putting a lot of effort into a place that I don't look at very much."

"You're so weird," she mumbled. Yuiko spotted something poking out from under his bed, smiling when she realized it was a dog bed.

"Can you call the ninken over?" she asked excitedly, looking back into the kitchen.

"Do you honestly think they would all fit in here?" Kakashi said, stirring something in a large pot.

"No, I guess not," Yuiko said, a little downtrodden. Kakashi felt a pang of guilt for the white lie, but having all his ninken here at once _would_ make things pretty cramped.

The truth was that he couldn't bring himself to tell her that his ninken were taking some time warming up to her. Yuiko had a bad habit of blurring the line between ninken and 'regular dog' when she saw them outside the field, and most of them found it patronizing when she'd ask them excitedly if they were ready for 'walkies' or wanted 'num nums'. A few of them started to put up with it when they realized that playing along meant a near endless supply of treats, and Yuiko would even go so far as attempting to buy their affection with prime cuts of steak before Kakashi put an end to it.

Pakkun was the only one who would go along with her antics without complaint, fetching sticks and playing dead for Yuiko's amusement. Other than Pakkun being a glutton for attention, Kakashi knew he did it in part because he found it humorous how Kakashi reacted to his enabling of Yuiko's unwanted behavior.

Kakashi's attention was caught by the sound of Yuiko's chair scraping across the floor, followed by a soft hiss. "How is your hand doing?" Kakashi asked, picking up on her discomfort.

"Fine," Yuiko replied, looking down at her right arm as she rose from the table. It had been wrapped up in gauze from her palm all the way to her elbow. The rasengan was a far more difficult jutsu to handle than she had expected. She had assumed that it would be simple, since Naruto had done most of the work, but even wielding it seemed to require a level of expertise that she didn't possess. As fun as it was, it was a technique she was going to have to stay away from if she liked having skin on her arm.

Yuiko moved away from the table, curiously nosing through the apartment. The only decorations she could see were a few framed pictures sitting on a desk. She smiled, looking between the picture of Kakashi on Minato's team and the picture of Team 7.

 _The resemblance between Minato and Naruto is uncanny, looking at them side-by-side. I wonder if anyone has told him that?_

She glanced at the third picture, surprised to see that it was of her, Noboru, and Kakashi after the Chūnin Exams. They were standing in a crowded area just outside the arena; Noboru smiling in the center of the frame with his new flak jacket flung casually over his shoulder and one arm pulling Yuiko into a hug. Yuiko was holding her new jacket tightly against her chest, looking back at the camera with a wide-eyed expression (she liked to think she was better now at taking pictures, but knew deep down that wasn't the case). Kakashi was standing slightly off to the side, his hands tucked into his pockets. His eyes were upturned in a smile as he regarded his companions, ignoring the camera entirely.

Yuiko slid her finger along the picture frame, feeling bittersweet. It was nice that Kakashi held on to it, but she hated to imagine him looking at it at any point before her return to the village. Once, she had caught him with a forlorn expression as he gazed up at Minato's likeness on the Hokage monument. She never saw him with that look again, but she had a feeling that it was purposeful on Kakashi's part, and not because he no longer carried that sadness with him. She didn't want to think about Kakashi looking at her picture with that same heartbreaking expression.

"If you're done snooping, dinner is almost ready," Kakashi said from the kitchen. Yuiko flinched, withdrawing her hand.

"I'm not snooping," she lied, turning back toward the table. Her eyes wandered around the rest of the apartment, which was only a fraction larger than Naruto's bedroom. Even when they were younger, Kakashi had never had her or Noboru over. She glanced over to one of his bookshelves and began to understand why.

"I made miso soup," Kakashi said, exiting the kitchen with a bowl in each hand. "It's nothing fancy, but I added some eggplant."

He stopped, noticing that Yuiko was crouched on the floor, her finger running along the spines of the books on his shelf. "Huh," she said, "And I thought Jiraiya was a perv."

Kakashi chuckled, unfazed. "Ah, well, they're really more of a collection. I haven't even read them all."

"Is that so?" Yuiko said, giving him a side glance. "Did you know this one is getting a sequel?" she asked, pulling out a book with a busty Kunoichi winking behind a pair of glasses on the cover.

Kakashi was at her side in an instant. "Really?! The author said he was shifting his attention from the _My Dream Kunoichi_ series to focus on his next novel, _Sunset Over My Heart_. I think it was a bad move, personally, since there was so much room left for character development, and it didn't end with the reader being clear on whether the love interest existed purely in the genjutsu or not —"

Yuiko held up her palm to stop his rambling. "I'm just messing with you," she said, putting the book back on the shelf. She rose, dusted off her knees and walked past him to sit at the table. Kakashi's eyebrow twitched.

—

"Are you kidding? That one had the worst ending."

"Are we talking about the same book? Akemi confessing her love to Haru on her deathbed gave me chills."

Yuiko groaned, covering her eyes with her hands. The two of them were lying on the roof of Kakashi's apartment, the stars twinkling merrily above.

"It's so cliché!" she exclaimed. "Why would she not tell him that she wrote the note until the end?"

"But she wrote the note before she knew she was cursed. She didn't want Haru to reciprocate her feelings knowing the pain he would go through when she died."

"I guess …" Yuiko said reluctantly. "But I still don't understand what the talking radish with a mustache was supposed to mean."

"I think it was a metaphor for her relationship with her father."

Yuiko laughed. Kakashi smiled, glancing at her. It had been a while since the two of them were able talk. It was something they did less and less often, it seemed. He quickly averted his gaze as her laughter faded.

Yuiko grew pensive as she studied the night sky. "Hey, Kakashi," she asked.

"Hmm?"

"Naruto. You're going to be able to help him, right? To get stronger?"

He took a moment to reply, twiddling his thumbs. "I hope so. I have an idea — something that I think only he can do. If he pulls it off, of course."

Yuiko nodded, a worried look on her face.

"You worry about him too much," Kakashi said, leaning over on his elbow to look at her. "He's a lot stronger than you give him credit for. I think he even has the potential to be stronger than Minato-Sensei, if he puts his mind to it."

"He's just a kid," she said, wringing her hands. "He's being asked to do so much. Then there's the Akatsuki, and the Nine-Tails … I don't know if he can handle all of it. I hope he can."

"He's Naruto. He won't give up, no matter what odds are stacked against him. I know that doesn't sound like much, but trust me on this one."

Yuiko sighed, sitting up. "I'm headed out with Jiraiya tomorrow. Just keep Naruto alive until I get back."

"How long will you be gone?"

"Can't say," she said smugly. "It's a secret."

"You seem a little too pleased to say that," he said with a chuckle.

Yuiko crossed her arms defensively, "It's my first undercover mission where I had a say in the planning process. I have every right to be giddy about it."

"And master Jiraiya," Kakashi said, joining her in a sitting position. "He hasn't been … you know …"

"What?"

"Disrespectful, is what I mean. Because, you're you."

Yuiko's brow furrowed in confusion. "Because I'm me? Did he tell you that he hates me or something?"

"No, that's not what I meant," he said. "You're the kind of, err, _someone_ , that Jiraiya would take interest in because of how you look, and the two of you spending so much time alone— ah, never mind. I think you can handle yourself."

"I was afraid you might be like this," she said with a sigh. She placed her hand on his arm, Kakashi tensing as she regarded him. "You're jealous, I understand. But look, if Jiraiya decides to tell me anything about his latest book, you know I can't break his trust. Everything about the mission, including what he decides to tell me in confidence about any of his story developments, will have to stay between him and me. I'm sorry."

Kakashi exhaled, looking to quickly change the subject. "Well, can you at least tell me which tail you'll be following?" he asked, gesturing to the sky.

She looked up, studying the stars. She pointed to the Northeast. "The Eight-Tails," she said, tracing the constellation. "I'm surprised you remember those."

"I like them. It's peaceful, seeing them all up there. Except for the Five-Tails. That one's a bit closer."

"Funny," she said. "By the way, you never told me what your request was."

"Hmm," he said, thoughtfully, "I can't think of anything at the moment, but it will come to me, don't worry."

She scowled at him, pushing herself to her feet. "Why do I have a feeling that the longer you have to think about it, the more expensive it's going to be?"

"Whatever would give you that idea?" he remarked, trying to look innocent.

She took a deep breath, making her way to the edge of the rooftop. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm away," she said.

"I'll do my best."

She disappeared in a flash. Kakashi lay back down, putting one arm behind his head. With the other, he raised his finger, tracing the constellations in the sky.

.

* * *

.

"I'm worried about him."

"I'm sure he's fine; he can handle himself."

"Fine then. I'm worried about _me_."

Yuiko sighed. "Everything doesn't always have to be about you, Noboru."

"That's what you think," Noboru replied with a wink. He suddenly let out a long yawn. He turned to her, distressed. "Do you see this? I'm _exhausted!_ I'm a light sleeper, you know."

Yuiko struggled to keep her eyes from rolling out of her head. She kept her expression hidden from him as she collected leaves from mint plants growing along the tree line. They were finishing up their first overnight mission, which was helping an elderly medicinist collect various herbs from the area surrounding her village while her assistant was away visiting family. It was boring work, but Yuiko found learning about the different herbs and their effects from the old woman interesting. She wished that more of the mission had to do with spending time in her workshop grinding antlers and mixing salves than plucking leaves. But they were almost done, and due to head back to Konoha that night. She glanced up into a nearby tree, watching Kakashi for a moment as he read his novel. He had volunteered to collect the more difficult items, such as a fungus that only grew on a set of trees overlooking a cliff face, and a bioluminescent mushroom that had to be gathered in the pure darkness of a cave since it shriveled upon contact with sunlight. He had finished his tasks within the first few hours of the day prior, and had been spending the remainder of his time reading.

"It wouldn't be much of a learning experience if I did all the work for you, would it?" he had replied playfully to Noboru when asked why he stopped helping. "You showing me that you have the drive and dedication to see things through to the end is what is going to aid you two in successfully becoming chūnin. Any more of my assistance would only hamper that development."

"Well that's a bullshit answer if I ever heard one," Noboru had muttered under his breath. And so, they had continued to collect the remaining items on their own. Yuiko's gaze left Kakashi, turning back to Noboru. "He seems fine," she said. "Maybe it's just in your head."

Noboru looked at her, offended. "It is _not_ in my head. The past few nights, he —" Noboru paused, looking a little uncomfortable, "... he would mumble something, then scream. But like, quietly, you know? Like sleep talking. And then he gasps real loud, like he can't breathe, then sits bolt upright. He did that a couple times last night before he just got up and stayed outside."

Yuiko had stopped picking the leaves, studying Noboru. He looked genuinely distressed. As much as he poked fun at Kakashi, he did seem to actually like him. "So, what should we do?" she asked.

Noboru shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. Maybe ask him about it? He likes you better than me."

Yuiko snorted, going back to picking leaves. Kakashi certainly didn't hate her, but he seemed far more impressed with Noboru's ingenuity and tactical mindset than her own abilities.

Noboru frowned, picking up on her disdain. "I'm not joking. Talking to him sometimes is … hard for me."

"It's because he doesn't have boobs," she quipped.

"Shut up. Neither do you."

Yuiko slowly turned her gaze to him. Noboru decided that he liked living and quickly backpedaled. "I just don't like talking about that kind of stuff, okay? I think you would be better at it. Please?"

She regarded him coldly for 15 seconds, to her count. She turned away, and returned to collecting leaves.

They remained mostly silent as they finished up, handing over what they had collected to the kind medicinist and bade her farewell. They walked the remainder of the day, stopping after nightfall to make camp. They had picked a small clearing close to the main road, a bubbling stream twisting through a rocky shoreline nearby into the forest. Yuiko built a fire, and Noboru skewered a handful of fish he caught from the stream. The trio ate mostly in silence. Kakashi probably noticed their shift in attitude, but didn't seem concerned enough to mention it.

Noboru took first watch, planting himself upon a large rock overlooking the water. Yuiko wrapped herself tightly in her sleeping roll. She was normally a deep sleeper; she depended on Kokuō — probably a bit too much — to wake her if there was any danger. But tonight, she lay partially awake, keeping an eye on Kakashi. His figure remained motionless on the other side of the campfire remains. She heightened her hearing, listening closely for his breathing. It was slow, but not slow enough to mimic sleep. So, he was pretending to be asleep, but not very hard. The act was most likely more for Noboru's benefit than her own, since Kakashi had no reason to think she wasn't actually asleep. After some time, she noticed Noboru rise from his post and silently make his way toward camp. Kakashi, who was on second shift, sat up immediately, stretching lightly and getting up to head toward the river.

She watched him as he crossed paths with Noboru, giving him a pat on the shoulder as he walked by. He sprawled out casually on the same rock where Noboru had previously been, pulling out a book.

 _How the hell can he read in the dark?_ She thought, bemused.

Noboru returned to camp, falling asleep almost immediately after getting himself settled in his bedroll.

" _You should get some sleep. It's not healthy to stay up all night,"_ Kokuō said calmly.

 _Ah, okay. Can you wake me up a little before my shift starts? Probably fifteen — no, make that twelve minutes before._

" _Of course,"_ Kokuō said, amused.

—

Kakashi cocked his head to the side as he picked up the soft sound of footsteps. Yuiko approached him slowly, carefully phasing through the sharper looking rocks along the shore. He sat up, making room on the rock he was laying on. She sat down next to him, crossing her legs and looking up at the sky.

"You still have a little time before your shift," he stated. "I don't mind staying up an extra hour or two, either; you didn't seem to be sleeping well earlier."

Yuiko shuddered.

 _So he did notice._

She shook her head, keeping her attention on the sky. "It's fine, I'm not even tired," she lied. She pointed to the horizon, moving her finger to trace the outline of a series of stars. "That's Shukaku, the One-Tailed beast. The tail points southwest, toward the land of wind. I've only been there once; I was young, so I don't remember much, but I do remember finding sand in my shoes for over a week afterwards."

Kakashi watched her questioningly for a moment before looking up into the sky. It was a beautiful night, but nothing that interested him too much. He decided to humor her and pointed in the same general direction as Yuiko. "Which ones, these?" he asked, tracing a small cluster.

She crouched over his shoulder. "No, only four stars makes up this one. Three for the body, then one for the tail. They get bigger as you go up the tails."

"And they all point to a different place?" he asked.

"Yes. You see over there? Those seven stars are Matatabi, the Two-Tails. She points toward the land of lightning. It was nice, living there. My grandfather cooked us fish for dinner almost every day."

Kakashi glanced at her, the slight crinkle in his eye betraying his amusement. "So, you decided to do a little star-gazing to help you reminisce? You never struck me as a nostalgic type."

"They make me feel better," she said, ignoring his remark. "It's comforting to see them all up there. They make me feel less alone."

Kakashi studied her, dubious.

 _Why is she telling me this?_

Yuiko put up her finger, tracing another constellation. "I was alone a lot. Even with my grandfather around, I still would feel alone. There was nobody for me to talk to about things that were bothering me. So I told them," she gestured to the stars. "I told them everything about what was making me upset or sad. I even told them about what made me happy. And it helped, even if it was just pretend."

Yuiko turned to Kakashi. "You can get some rest now. It's time for my shift to start."

He nodded, silently collecting his book and heading back to camp. He lay down in his bedroll near Noboru, staring at the embers of the fire for a moment before turning over onto his back. He looked up into the night sky, tracing the outline of the Two-Tails with his eye. A small voice in his head was calling him idiotic, but he couldn't find the will to give in and go to sleep. Resigned, he took a deep breath, keeping his attention fixated on the constellation.

 _I did something horrible; I broke a promise to someone very important to me. I see the faces of those who I failed every night when I go to sleep. I can't help but to think that I'm destined to make the same mistakes over and over again. I feel like I'm not going to be able to protect those important to me when the time comes. But, even worse, I'm afraid that it's not possible for me to feel that close to anyone anymore. What if … I can't?_

The stars twinkled back at him passively. He exhaled; he couldn't really say that he was expecting anything to happen, but he still couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. However, when he closed his eyes, he found that he was consumed by a sudden wave of exhaustion. For the first time in a while, he had a deep, dreamless sleep.


	28. Chapter 28

Jiraiya coughed, waving away the cloud of smoke that had enveloped Yuiko. As it cleared, he saw that her hair and eye color had both changed to black. It was rather simple, but Yuiko informed him that the simplicity meant she could subconsciously hold the disguise with little effort, even through combat. She finished the look by pulling a cloak from her knapsack, fastening it around her shoulders and over her plain tunic and pants. Yuiko looked rather unobtrusive.

 _That should do it_ , he thought.

The two of them exited the small forest clearing and made their way to a well-traveled trail. Up until this point, they had traveled via back roads to hide the fact that they were traveling from Konoha. As they walked, the trail merged with a wide road on the edge of a rice field, which was packed with carts, wagons, and people of all sorts traveling by foot. Many of the travelers chatted genially with each other, going on about business or the weather. After a short time, the dirt road transitioned into stone tiles, and the great arch of the village of Yugakure became visible. Yuiko looked in awe at the thick clouds of steam that rose steadily over the village.

Yugakure was a resort town, renowned for its hot springs. Storefronts and bathhouses crammed themselves tightly against one another, each building brandishing its own level of gaudiness to catch the attention of those passing by. Her grandfather never took her through towns like Yugakure; wealthy villages were generally targets in times of war. Considering the prices she was seeing now as they passed by merchant stalls, she seriously doubted they would have been able to afford to stay in the village anyway.

Jiraiya came to a stop as they entered the village's marketplace. Yuiko was forced to stand uncomfortably close to him to avoid being jostled away by the mad rush of people pushing toward the stalls. Yugakure's reputation as a high-volume tourist operation attracted vendors from every nation; a smart merchant knows how to follow the money, and money seemed to flow just as freely as the hot water the village was known for.

Jiraiya stood grinning ear to ear, rubbing his hands together enthusiastically. Yuiko followed his gaze, grimacing when she noticed that his attention was locked on a nearby hot spring with a gaudy 'SHARED BATH' sign hanging on the front.

"Don't make me regret agreeing to this mission," she said bluntly.

Jiraiya laughed, looking about the village joyfully. "A place like this doesn't cultivate regrets, Yuiko. It wouldn't kill ya to live a little, you know? How 'bout the two of us start out with a drink? I'm sure you'll still have time."

"Pass," she replied, pulling up the hood on her cloak. "Just … make sure you show up," she said, dissolving into the crowd.

Jiraiya watched her go, then shrugged. The grin returned to his face as he pushed his way through the crowd toward the hot spring. "Time for me to get a little 'research' in ..."

—

Yuiko allowed the crowd to push her to and fro among the stalls. She enjoyed being a part of a crowd; it was almost as if it took on its own identity, a living being coiling through the streets of Yugakure with no real purpose. And within the crowd, she was invisible. She looked like any other Kunoichi wandering from stall to stall. Finding fellow shinobi in the marketplace was not uncommon; a number of the vendors sold weapons, armor, medical supplies, food pills, and countless other wares a shinobi would take interest in.

From the look of it, shinobi representing almost every nation were present within the marketplace. She found it slightly uplifting that they were able to coexist here, even though they could be at each other's throats the second they stepped outside the village's boundaries. Yugakure put a lot of its resources into keeping the peace; breaking the armistice put down between Yugakure and the other shinobi villages could mean death, possibly even condoned by one's own village. Even Konoha's policy included revoking the title of shinobi if anyone was outright caught starting an altercation within Yugakure's borders.

Yuiko perused a couple of stalls, chatting with one vendor over the most popular bases for food pills, and turning down another who tried to push an exceptionally gaudy pair of kunai on her. Her attention was eventually caught by a stall with a variety of labeled vials and jars covering the entire surface of the table. A woman dressed in a deep blue robe stood behind it, chatting lightheartedly with a Kumo shinobi at the other end of the stall. Behind her sat a pair of men conversing lightly and playing cards. Merchants who sold rare or valuable wares — or who liked to put up the appearance of doing so — tended to hire out mercenaries to intimidate onlookers with sticky fingers. The men didn't seem to be doing much in that department though, from what Yuiko could see. Besides, the woman seemed to be more interested in getting people to come closer than to keep their distance.

The merchant tucked a portion of her long, black hair behind one ear as she leaned over to hand her customer a jar. She pressed it into his palm, making sure his gaze would be drawn down to the low cut of her robe. "... and, of course, it makes an invaluable addition to any shinobi's med kit," the woman cooed.

The man laughed nervously. "Yes, but, 5,000 ryō is a little much for a healing ointment …"

The woman giggled, blushing slightly. "I don't normally do this ... but, for someone as handsome as you, I think I could bring the price down to only 4,000. What do you say?" She leaned forward, her breasts resting upon the jars.

The man smiled nervously at her, "well, I guess I —"

"I'll give you 2,000 ryō," Yuiko said.

The woman cocked her head to peer at Yuiko, keeping her body against the table. "I'm afraid I'd just be giving it away at that point," she said cheerfully. "I'm a self-made woman, you know. I take pride in—"

She stopped. The man she had been speaking to had dissolved into the crowd, the jar sitting alone at the edge of the table. She straightened, slamming her hand onto the table with a huff. In a flurry of movement she stood before Yuiko, hands on her hips. She was beautiful, to be sure: Her deep blue eyes contrasted nicely with her dark hair, which she wore partially up in two small buns on either side of her head. She appeared a little older than Yuiko, but time didn't seem to be a negating factor on her appearance.

"So, do you actually want to buy something, or are you just here to undervalue my things?" she said gruffly.

Yuiko passively picked up a small vial, popping open the cork to smell its contents. "Shikimi, right? It's hard to come by leaves that aren't completely dried."

The woman's frown disappeared, replaced with a coy grin. "Oh? Looks like even someone like _you_ can appreciate a rare beauty like that. It's hard to come by — many of the shikimi fields were burned during the last war to bring down the supply. But I can guarantee that it will make a poison potent enough to kill a man instantly."

Yuiko huffed. "Your label says 8,000 ryō."

"That's exactly how much it's worth!" the woman hissed. "Who are you to tell me what I should charge?"

Yuiko shrugged. "You could maybe get 8,000 if you were selling privately to some lord or something," she said, placing the vial back down. "But a majority of your potential customers here will be shinobi, and you won't be able to sell off much of your inventory at these prices. Most of the people with money to spare are going to be spending it on drinking and gambling; they're not on the lookout to stock their medicine cabinet while on vacation."

The woman leaned forward, putting her face close to Yuiko's. "I don't need you to tell me how to sell my wares. If this is your pitiful attempt at haggling, then you can take it elsewhere. The price is 8,000 ryō. There are plenty here who would be more than happy to pay that price, so buy it or leave so I can spend time talking to someone who actually has the money."

Suddenly, a hand slammed down violently on the table, causing the whole stall to shake. Two cloaked men stood beside Yuiko, masks covering their lower faces. The woman was already quite cross from her interaction with Yuiko; her eyes looked practically on fire when she turned to face them. The two mercenaries behind her had abandoned their game of cards, stepping up behind their employer in a menacing fashion. Yuiko regarded the bunch curiously.

"You're the one they call Nezumi, right?" said the masked man who had violently struck the table. The woman, Nezumi, lifted her chin in defiance.

"I don't know what you're thinking, trying to start trouble in the middle of the day like this," she said, "but whatever you want, you're not getting it."

The two men behind Nezumi took a step forward, partially blocking her from the cloaked men. The second cloaked man, who was a head shorter than the first, grabbed a vial from the table, examining it. "We want to cut a deal," he said. "We heard you have some good stuff that you're saving for the auction tomorrow. Maybe we can both save each other a little trouble if you're willing to sell to us first."

Nezumi threw her head back and laughed heartily. She wiped a tear from her eye, a smile on her face. "The two of you must be entertainers — I haven't heard a joke that made me laugh like that in a long time. I'm aware that there's quite a high demand for my goods, but I have a feeling you boys wouldn't be able to give me the satisfaction I require."

The first cloaked man reached into his pocket, triggering the mercenaries to leap into the street. Someone in the crowd let out a shout, causing onlookers to scramble out of the way. Yuiko slowly backed away, wondering what she could say to convince Nezumi to sell her the shikimi for less than 8,000 ryō. She had a hunch that this altercation wasn't going to put the woman in a better mood, which was unfortunate.

One of the mercenaries drew a sword, bounding forward. The taller cloaked man blocked him easily with a kunai. The second cloaked man leapt to the other mercenary, slashing him across the cheek with a chakra blade. Nezumi cheered wildly for the mercenaries, changing her enthusiasm to annoyance on a dime whenever the fight got too close to her stall. Yuiko watched coolly, curious to see how the fight was going to play out. She found herself scanning the throng to see if any onlookers were looking to get themselves involved. From the nervous faces in the crowd, the consensus seemed to be no.

Yuiko blinked, realizing that she had been zoning out. She looked over to see one of the mercenaries lying on the ground, knocked out. The remaining one took a kick to the face, meeting up with his friend in the dirt. The two men in cloaks only seemed a little worse for wear. "Now that you've pissed me off," the first one said, "I'm going to want a discount. How about … the new price tag for all those auction items being your life, hmm?"

Nezumi stood defiant, although shaking slightly. "The — the town shinobi … they'll —"

"Not be here in time," the second man said snidely. "So give us what we want if you want to keep your life."

Yuiko was next to the shorter man in an instant. She swept his leg, kneeing him in the face as he fell. She turned, still crouched, and punched the other man in the gut. As he bent over, Yuiko stood to grab the back of his head and slammed his face into the ground. She looked up as the other man lifted himself from the street, holding his nose. She appeared before him in a flash, slapping a piece of paper on his forehead.

"Release!"

Electricity crackled on the paper, followed by a strong electric bolt that shook his body. He fell forward, his eyes rolling into the back in his head. She turned back to the stall, the remaining foe breathing heavily in a crouched position. Yuiko braced herself as he leapt toward her. He flew past, scooping up his companion and dashing into the crowd. Their black cloaks billowed behind them as the crowd parted, but were soon swallowed up in the jumble of carts and stalls.

Yuiko watched him go passively. She sighed, making her way over to the mercenaries. She knelt down, examining the injuries on the man who carried a sword. She was soon joined by someone in the crowd claiming to be a medical-nin. The medical-nin took charge, quickly gaining assistance in taking the mercenaries to the hospital. Yuiko found it amusing how swift people were to help now that the fighting was over. She made her way back to Nezumi, who was looking rather shaken. The woman appeared almost relieved to see Yuiko had come back.

"I got blood on my knee, so now I will have to spend money to have my clothes laundered," Yuiko said frankly, pointing to her pants. "And when the Yugakure shinobi show up, I'll have to spend at least an hour giving a report, which is time I could have used to refill my supplies or find work."

The woman stared back at her, dumbfounded.

"5,000 ryō for the shikimi," Yuiko stated, holding up five fingers. "I think that's fair, considering the circumstances."

Yuiko regarded her silently, unmoving. Nezumi slowly shook her head, sliding a shaking hand over her face as she regained her composure. Nezumi suddenly straightened, her eyes shining intently as she placed her hands on her hips. "What's your name?" she asked with a smirk.

"Akemi," Yuiko replied.

"I'm sure it is," Nezumi said, leaning forward to take her hand, "just like my name is Nezumi, right?" she said with a wink.

Yuiko pulled out of Nezumi's grip. "Are you going to sell me the shikimi?"

Nezumi's smile wavered, almost backing down on her resolve. "How about I do you one better?" the woman said slyly. "I need protection for the next three days. You keep me safe and I'll give you 100,000 ryō worth of my items for your services."

Yuiko frowned. "200,000."

Nezumi's expression turned sour. She turned her head away, pursing her lips in thought. She slowly brought her eyes back up to Yuiko, who regarded her solemnly. "You must be quite confident in your abilities," Nezume growled.

"I'm a self-made woman," Yuiko replied.

Nezumi's face softened with a chuckle. "Well played. I hope you give me your money's worth, Akemi," she said, holding out her hand. Yuiko clasped it in return.

* * *

A/N: Hey ya'll! If you have any comments about a particular chapter, or the story in general, please let me know. I know my writing is far from perfect, and I would love to improve based on what you guys say you like or dislike about the story / my writing style. Thanks! :)


	29. Chapter 29

"Have another, Akemi. It's no fun getting drunk alone," Nezumi stated, taking another sip of sake. Yuiko obliged, refilling her cup. Lucky, her tolerance for alcohol was quite high, though she rarely drank. Her guess was that it had something to do with her chakra level — or maybe even Kokuō specifically.

Nezumi had treated her to dinner at a high-end restaurant, a place she must have visited often since she knew all the wait staff by name. Their waitress, a young woman by the name of Hiroko, fluttered at the edge of Yuiko's vision as she appeared around the paper dividers to deliver plates before disappearing as swiftly as she came. The restaurant was vibrant with activity, and Yuiko couldn't help but to take an interest in the way the waitstaff intermingled between the guests and each other in a meticulous manner befitting a well-oiled machine.

After they ate, Hiroko brought by a container of choice sake, which she would briskly replace with another as soon as they were getting low (Yuiko mused that the Hokage would be thrilled to be waited on by someone with such a knack). They had worked through a few containers now, and Yuiko was beginning to wonder if it would be crossing a line to cut Nezumi off. The woman was amazingly composed for how drunk she was, but Yuiko felt that there was no way this was good for her. She was about to suggest that they leave when Nezumi pulled a large, rectangular charm from her pocket. She tied the charm around her neck, and Yuiko saw that it was cut from a shiny, black gemstone. The amulet reflected a deep, green light as Nezumi adjusted it on her chest.

"It's beautiful," Yuiko said.

Nezumi placed a hand on the charm, tenderly. "I try not to wear it when I'm working a stall. It tends to be … distracting to the customers."

Yuiko doubted that it was the amulet that was distracting, considering the general size of Nezumi's chest area. Nezumi downed her cup of sake, pouring herself another.

"You don't talk much, do you?" she said, looking at Yuiko over the rim of the cup. Yuiko dropped her gaze, unsure of how to answer.

"You're different now than you were before. You were much more outgoing after you kicked those guys to the dirt," Nezumi continued, lowering her cup to the table. "Now you're not sure what to do with yourself. I like it. I've always had a thing for the quiet types."

Yuiko wrung her hands nervously, trying to think of something to say. She decided to settle on the event being held tomorrow. "The auction," she squeaked, clearing her throat. "You'll need me there all day, correct?"

"Of course," Nezumi replied, taking a sip of sake. "I have a lot of valuables being held under strict guard by the Yugakure shinobi right now." She sighed, slightly shaking her head. "It's costing me a small fortune. But, it will be worth it. I'll be all set after that."

"You talk as if you're an old lady planning to retire," Yuiko chuckled nervously.

"Well, I am," Nezumi replied. "Not an old lady, obviously — but I'm getting out of the business."

Yuiko nodded. A medicinist could make good money, especially one that also specialized in poisons to sell to shinobi. She wasn't surprised that Nezumi would be able to retire at such a young age. Yuiko was ready to let the conversation drop when Nezumi suddenly spoke.

"Have you ever been in love, Akemi?"

Yuiko stared at Nezumi, her face growing hot. She dropped her eyes, violently shaking her head. "N-no. Never."

Nezumi giggled, "I bet that statement's about as true as your name being Akemi. But I digress ..."

She gingerly stroked the amulet around her neck. "I was in love. He was one of my clients, the most intelligent man I'd ever met. And so handsome." Nezumi broke their gaze, smiling sweetly to herself. "He needed a constant supply of herbs, poisons, you name it, and he entrusted it all to me. He moved around frequently in his studies, and any other medicinist would have scoffed at the idea of following him around. But he had me wrapped around his little finger. I was so hopeless, and he had no idea."

She trailed off, looking into the distance. She took another sip of sake, continuing. "A week ago, I arrived to make a special delivery. He'd asked me to get him a root with a powerful regenerative component — one of the rarest on the continent. It was a test, I was sure. A test to see if I was devoted enough to him to be worthy of his love. I had every intention of spilling my guts out to him, but when I arrived …"

Her lip quivered. She looked down at her reflection in the sake. "When I arrived, he was dead."

Yuiko shifted uncomfortably, dropping her gaze to her lap. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Nezumi gave no acknowledgement, her face partially hidden by the cascade of ebony hair falling over her shoulders. Her hand suddenly quivered around her cup. "It was his assistant," she hissed through clenched teeth. "It was him that killed my beloved, I know it. He always acted so devoted to him, but I could see the jealousy in his eyes. I knew that he was after everything that the man I loved worked so hard to attain. And so, I ..."

She paused, slowly finishing off the sake in her cup. "I switched the healing root out with a dummy. One that was similar, but nowhere near the regenerative potential. His assistant had been working on new healing formulations for over a year. I thought that he was using them for my beloved, who had contracted an illness during his travels a few years back. It wasn't fatal, from what I was told, but he was in constant pain. His assistant, he was— he seemed, so caring at first. He even insisted on trying the healing formulations out on himself before deeming them effective. But as time wore on, I think he began to see a weakness in his teacher. He grew tired of taking care of him, and felt that he should take his place as head of their research. After he told me that my beloved was dead …"

Nezumi's eyes shone with tears as she pointedly stared at Yuiko, with an almost pleading expression. "... he said that he still needed the healing extracts for his research. I realized then that his goal never was to heal my beloved. That for whatever reason, he was making something for himself. For what, I don't know. But the anger inside me … How little I could see that he cared … I took the extracts, and switched them out with poison."

The two sat in silence, soaking in the sound of clinking plates and chatter among the wait staff. Yuiko wasn't sure how much time was appropriate, so after counting out six minutes, she rose, crossing to the other side of the table. She held out a hand to Nezumi, helping her up. Hiroko cheerfully thanked them for coming, Yuiko replying with a curt nod as they exited the restaurant.

The women made their way out into the night, which was alive with light and sound. Nezumi leaned heavily on her, the two of them walking in silence past groups of men gambling in the street and overcrowded bars. They made their way to the inn where Nezumi was staying, and Yuiko carried her up the stairs and into her room. She let Nezumi down gently onto the bed, making sure to position her on her side. She grabbed a bucket from the washroom, just in case, and made herself comfortable on the floor against the window.

Nezumi was soundly asleep within two minutes, to Yuiko's count. She watched Nezumi sleep, conflicted. It was possible that it was just the sake talking, but this woman may have truly murdered some innocent research assistant. A lot of Nezumi's story seemed to be made up of assumptions on her part. Even if the man _had_ really plotted the demise of the one she loved, there was no way of knowing for sure.

" _I don't believe it's your place to say,"_ Kokuō interjected.

 _Maybe not, Yuiko_ replied. _If I felt that someone was responsible for the death of a person that I loved, I guess I don't know how I would react either._


	30. Chapter 30

Jiraiya groaned, rubbing his temples. He had a hell of a hangover, which he could take care of instantly by shifting the flow of chakra within his body if he wanted to. Unfortunately for him, he needed to conserve his energy, just in case things got sticky. As long as he could keep himself composed, he would be fine; he could imagine the look Yuiko would give him if he messed anything up due to staying out too late drinking.

He tried to clear his head by taking a deep breath of the morning air. He studied the street below, musing that Yugakure seemed almost like a different place early in the day. Shop owners hadn't come out yet to hang their colorful signs and the streets were filled only with long shadows instead of tourists. Without the pop of color provided by the merchants or their patrons, the town appeared almost drab.

Yugakure's architecture wasn't much to look at, since most of its buildings were constructed as fast as possible to bank on the flood of visitors when the former shinobi town opened itself up a little over a decade ago. There were a handful of ornate inns, but other than that the only two buildings in the town worth more than a passing glance were the headquarters of the shinobi guard and the auction house. Since Jiraiya found himself sitting atop a building adjacent to said auction house, he'd had more than enough time to appreciate its sweeping red roof and the intricate floral pattern carved into the giant wooden columns that reached all the way to the ground three stories below. The auction house also boasted an impressive set of large wooden doors with gold leaf accents, which had been closed for the past hour or so since the auction began.

Jiraiya had meticulously studied the stream of bidders as they entered the auction house earlier that morning. He felt a sense of solidarity with those who appeared to have gotten themselves a little too carried away the night before. But it was certainly worth sucking it up and nursing a hangover to attend one of Yugakure's auctions. Selling or bidding in a Yugakure auction meant that you were a part of the big leagues; usually only the wealthiest members of the five nations attended, and auction items could be anything spanning between art, weapons, and even estates (the layouts of which would be displayed through genjutsu).

There had been a few stragglers after the bidding started, but for at least half an hour the street below had been almost empty. It was slowly starting to fill up with townsfolk as the shadows receded and the sun creeped its way up over the rooftops, but everything was still relatively quiet.

 _Maybe I'll be able to hang out here and take a nap after all_ , he thought wishfully.

A group of a dozen men rounded a corner, making their way toward the auction house. Jiraiya perked up, watching them approach. They looked pretty normal, by most accounts. Most of them were chatting casually, but his attention was centered on one of the men toward the back of the group. It was clear to Jiraiya that the man was doing a poor job of scoping out the parameter while looking inconspicuous. It was a marker for the kind of man who was used to trouble, but not used to trying to avoid it. The man eventually spotted him, moving through to the center of the group to whisper something to one of his comrades. The man who he spoke to, who had short red hair and a scar running across his nose, glanced in his direction, but didn't break stride.

 _So much for a nap,_ he thought.

Jiraiya jumped down in front of the group, stopping them in their tracks. He straightened his back, plastering an easygoing smile on his face as he regarded them. "Heya, fellas! I don't mean to pry, but you don't look like the kind of guys who usually frequent some hoity-toity auction."

"Didn't anyone tell you that it's rude to judge a book by its cover?" the man with the red hair said, his comrades parting as he walked casually to stand in front of them.

Jiraiya scanned the men's faces, all signs of merriment gone.

 _None of them seemed confused, or frightened. What are they up to?_

"I'm getting the distinct feeling that you guys are lookin' for trouble. Let me ask you, you don't happen to be working for the Akatsuki, are you?" Jiraiya asked coyly.

The man in front smiled, seemingly amused. "I don't know who you are, but I know you're not with the village guard. They would be pissing themselves if they thought we were with the Akatsuki."

The men behind him chuckled. One of them reached into his jacket, the hilt of a kunai visible.

 _So, they're here to start something. But I'm having a hard time believing they'd be a part of the Akatsuki. Most of these men are acting like common thugs. However, even ordinary thieves wouldn't try to knock over an auction in the heart of the village— way too many variables that could end in them getting caught or killed. No, someone sent them here._

"You know, the people here don't take kindly to those who break the rules," Jiraiya said, lowering his arms in an attempt to appear non-threatening. "In fact, certain actions could lead to lifelong banishment— even though most would prefer that to execution. But a guy like me, well, I might as well be dead if I can't come back to this place. So here's the thing— I'm sure someone is paying you boys a lot of money to be here and break a few rules. But there are other ways to make money in this town without needing to go so far. One of those ways would be giving me some information. You seem like a group of reasonable fella's, so whaddaya say?"

"I think he's the one, boss," one of the men piped up, speaking to the red-haired man in front.

 _This can't be good,_ Jiraiya thought.

"I think you're right," the man in front said, a smirk growing on his lips. "This guy seems like nothing but a pompous asshole, to me. I'm going to enjoy this."

The men pulled out their weapons, Jiraiya exhaling in frustration.

.

* * *

.

"Wait, really?"

"Really."

"No one is going to believe that."

"What are you talking about? It's perfectly plausible."

"Not in a place like Yugakure!" Yuiko exclaimed.

"What's not plausible? Some rogue shinobi show up to cause some trouble, then you give them a beat down, saving the day!" Jiraiya replied, waving his hands grandly through the air. The two of them were in a small meeting room inside the Hokage tower, standing on either end of a table bearing a map of Yugakure. Placeholder figurines dotted various areas of the town, and Jiraiya had drawn large red circles around the marketplace and the auction house. They only had three days to set off from Konoha on their mission, and Yuiko was beginning to get nervous about the plan Jiraiya was devising.

"It's going to look ridiculous," she said, doubt etched across her face as she stared at the map. "Two mystery shinobi just show up to threaten this woman in the middle of the day, in front of all those people? I know what you said before about shinobi not stepping up out of fear of breaking the peace treaty, but what if some self-proclaimed hero is in the crowd? Our guys could get seriously hurt!"

"That's why," Jiraiya interjected, "you need to make a move as soon as her security is down. Make a show of taking the bad guys out. We'll have medical-nin in the crowd to take care of her guards afterward; the guys need to just do enough to knock them out, no more."

Yuiko leaned forward over the table, looking down at the map of Yugakure. Scouts had already been sent out to case the auction house, returning with intel describing the interior in detail. The two Anbu members who would pose as the 'bad guys' in the marketplace would switch disguises and be placed throughout the attendees in case of an attack.

 _And as for me …_ Yuiko thought sourly.

"What if it doesn't work?" she said. "What if we go through the trouble of getting her guards out of the picture, but the woman doesn't ask me to protect her?"

Jiraiya shrugged, "Then you'll just have to track her from the shadows. It will make it a lot easier if you're able to be near Nezumi with her consent, though."

"Why are you so sure that she'll even consider it?"

"Because," Jiraiya said with a smirk, "I'm an expert at human nature, kid. From what I hear, this woman prides herself on her independence. And she's savvy; she's made herself a small fortune from what my contacts have told me. I think if someone like me stepped in, she wouldn't give me the time of day. But you? I bet she'd respect another woman making her own way in the world." He crossed his arms, studying the map. "Someone like Nezumi suddenly deciding to sell off all her assets at the auction later this week is big news. Big enough news that even the Akatsuki might take notice."

Yuiko regarded him, slightly impressed. "Is that all you know about her?"

Jiraiya looked uncomfortable for a moment before turning away. "Yeah, that's all I got."

Yuiko noted his expression, but decided not to press further. She glanced over the map again. "So, what will you be doing during all of this?"

"Oh, well, looking for signs of the Akatsuki, of course," he said with a sheepish grin.

"You won't find any of them in a bath house," she replied bluntly.

"Well, you don't _know_ that."

Yuiko shot him a disapproving look before bringing her attention back to the map. "And you think they'll actually care about what she's selling off?"

"Everything I've heard recently points to the Akatsuki taking on big jobs to raise money," Jiraiya said. He clasped his arms behind his back, slowly circling the table. "A few of these that we've confirmed have been political assassinations, but there have also been rumors of theft. If you've got the manpower and you're willing to crack a few skulls to make quick cash, this will be the event to do it," he said, putting his pointer finger on the auction house.

"So you'll cover outside surveillance, and I'm on the inside," Yuiko said, looking at him for approval.

"You got it!"

Yuiko nodded, the corner of her mouth turning up slightly. She found that being a part of the planning process for a mission was actually quite exciting. Doing so with Jiraiya wasn't all that terrible either, although she would never admit it.

"Let's go over where we'll need the Anbu again," Yuiko said, her eyes dancing across the map. "I also want to pick who we'll be bringing; some of them are better actors than others …"


	31. Chapter 31

Yuiko stood behind Nezumi, who appeared delighted at how the auction was progressing. Representatives from many wealthy households were present, including medical-nin from all five major countries. Out of the other medicinists present, Yuiko had no idea how renowned Nezumi was; many of the attendees had expressed deep displeasure at the news of her retirement. It seemed that she had built up an enormous network of suppliers from nearly every country to collect the ingredients she required. She also spent extensive time tracking down some of the harder-to-find items herself, making her even more elusive. It appeared that a potential buyer had to be vastly wealthy just to afford someone who could track her down for a request.

Nezumi sat in a chair beside the auction table where the auctioneer was working to sell off her items. She took notes regarding how much each item was going for, and to whom. Yuiko was blown away by some of the amounts, thinking that the shikimi that Nezumi tried to sell her for 8,000 ryō may have actually been the bargain the woman had previously claimed. But, Yuiko tried to imagine what it must be like to not bounce back almost immediately from an injury like she always had. People who weren't descended from the Uzumaki clan required salves, supplements, and ointments to heal various ailments at a rate comparable to what she was used to. She just had no idea people would be willing to put up so much money for it.

Yuiko casually scanned the room, doing her best to seem relaxed and generally uninterested in the proceedings. Convincingly acting bored was a trait the Anbu valued highly since it was an easy way to seem inconspicuous. Kakashi was a master at it, although Yuiko wasn't entirely convinced that it was due solely to his acting skills.

After Yuiko finished another pass scanning the faces of the crowd on the first floor, she tilted her head up slightly in a fake yawn to observe the balcony. The rows of benches on the first floor were entirely full, which lead to the auction house opening up the balcony in order to accommodate the stragglers. There were less than a dozen bidders watching from above, so Yuiko kept her yawn reasonably short.

Something white caught Yuiko's attention out of the corner of her eye. She blinked, and the object — whatever it was — disappeared. She turned toward the center of the stage as a loud 'clank!' echoed throughout the hall. The auctioneer had dropped his mallet, slumping over his podium. More white objects entered her vision, and she realized that they appeared to be feathers falling gently from the ceiling. She was hit with a sudden wave of exhaustion and a warm, comforting feeling. Yuiko bit the inside of her cheek, quickly clasping her hands together as the pain regained her focus.

"Release!"

The genjutsu's effects immediately wore off. Yuiko straightened her back, scanning for movement about the room. All the regular attendees in the auction house sat soundly asleep. A figure rose from the back, and another leapt over the balcony railing, landing gracefully in the center aisle. The two Anbu members approached, their expressions grim as their eyes darted about the room.

Yuiko recognized the figure that came from the balcony as Naoki — a lanky man with short, spiky blonde hair and sunken eyes. The second man was Shuji, who was a head shorter than Naoki and sported a prominent hook-nose and shoulder-length grey hair tied back near his neck. The two men looked very different than they did back in Konoha, and she was pleased that their disguises had been able to keep the genjutsu user from learning of their presence. Yuiko gave a quick backwards glance to Nezumi as she took a few steps forward to meet them at the edge of the stage.

"Where is it coming from?" she asked. The two men exchanged a look of concern, Naoki shaking his head.

"I can't find the source, whoever it is," Naoki replied, studying the faces of the people slumped over in the first row. "They have to be close, to keep this many people under at once."

"Beneath the stage would be my best guess," Shuji stated, crossing his arms. "I also wouldn't factor out the back room where the items are being kept."

"OK, you two check it out," Yuiko said. "I'm going to wake up Nezumi and keep watch here." She approached Nezumi, gently placing her hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Release!"

Nezumi awoke with a start, looking about wildly. She clutched Yuiko's arm in panic. "A-Akemi!" Nezumi stuttered. "What … What's happening? Why did I just—?"

"It's okay," Yuiko said, doing her best to sound reassuring. "This is why I'm here. Someone put the attendees to sleep with a genjutsu — they're probably trying to take off with some of your inventory while everyone is asleep. Just stay here and don't move until I tell you to."

Yuiko turned around just in time to see a glowing hand burst through Naoki's chest in a shower of blood. His mouth flapped uselessly as his eyes drifted toward the ceiling. The hand disappeared, and Naoki collapsed to the ground. Shuji stood behind him, a smirk on his face as he regarded Yuiko. His left arm was covered in blood up to his elbow, and he absentmindedly flung droplets of it from his fingers as he slowly began to make his way up the short stairs of the stage. Yuiko slid defensively into a wide stance, putting herself firmly between Nezumi and Shuji.

"Stop, Shuji! This is your only warning!" she yelled. Shuji stopped at the top of the stairs, studying her.

"Hmm, I didn't think there'd be another Anbu," he said. "You're the woman from yesterday. Yes, it all makes a little more sense now." He reached his hand up to his temple, pulling on the skin. The skin ripped away like a mask, revealing the face of a young man in his mid-twenties. He looked vaguely familiar, but it certainly wasn't the man Yuiko knew as Shuji from the Anbu. She racked her memory, trying to place where she had seen this man before.

"Ka-Kabuto!" Nezumi yelped.

 _Kabuto?_ Yuiko thought, her eyes widening in alarm. _Kabuto Yakushi? What the hell would he be doing here?_

"Hello, Nezumi. You seem surprised," Kabuto said playfully as he pulled a small object from his pocket. With a quick flick of his wrist, he opened the hinges of a pair of large, black-rimmed glasses and slid them onto his nose. "It was quite funny, actually, when I realized you tried to kill me. I had a good laugh over it. You don't really think I fail to test my serums before injecting them into my body, do you? That wouldn't be very scientific, now would it?"

Nezumi cowered behind Yuiko, whose mind was racing.

 _She tried to kill Kabuto? Kabuto was the assistant? There's no way._

"Orochimaru," Yuiko croaked, turning slightly toward Nezumi. "The man you were in love with … was _Orochimaru?!_ "

Nezumi clutched her amulet, tears streaming down her face as she glowered at Kabuto. "And you killed him!" she screamed accusingly. "You killed him because you envied him! He was always greater than you, and always will be!"

 _Orochimaru is really dead?_ Yuiko thought, her eyes darting between Nezumi and Kabuto. _Seriously, what is going on here?_

Kabuto's expression flashed with anger before returning to a sneer. "You know what they say about assumptions, Nezumi. I'm afraid you have your abhorrence directed at the wrong person. I wasn't the one who killed Lord Orochimaru — it's Sasuke Uchiha who should really be the target of your scorn. I'm only trying to get stronger in order to _avenge_ Lord Orochimaru's death. And I need the fenikkusu root — the _real_ fenikkusu root — to do it. We're both on the same side, you know. All you have to do is tell me where it is."

 _Sasuke Uchiha killed Orochimaru?_ Yuiko thought. _This could be big_ _—_ _Kabuto has to be brought back to Konoha. I'll need to get Jiraiya for backup. I don't know if I can take Kabuto, and I don't want Nezumi and all these other people to get mixed up in this._

Yuiko grabbed Nezumi around the waist, feinting toward the door. Kabuto instinctively moved to block her path, and Yuiko used the opportunity to launch herself backward through a window, clutching Nezumi tightly. She winced, only phasing through a fraction of the broken glass. A full-on phase was out of the question, since Kabuto might be able to recognize the technique.

The two women landed roughly in the dirt of the wide street along the back of the building. Yuiko scooped Nezumi into her arms, running around the building's parameter. She had to find Jiraiya, and fast. Simultaneously holding someone like Kabuto off while keeping him away from Nezumi was a problem she wanted to avoid if possible. Yuiko hoped that the commotion from the window breaking was enough to catch his attention, wherever he was.

 _Unless Kabuto already got to him,_ her subconscious whispered. She pushed the thought away. Someone of Jiraiya's caliber wouldn't be done-in by Kabuto — not easily enough for Kabuto to stroll in disguised as an Anbu member afterward, anyway.

 _And how did he do that? Where is Shuji?_ She thought.

Yuiko stopped dead as she felt something move beneath her feet. She leapt back as Kabuto burst from the ground beneath her. Merchants and tourists cried out, running from the disturbance.

"If you're looking for Jiraiya," Kabuto said snidely. "I found a reasonably priced group to keep him entertained. They don't stand a chance, of course, I only need a few minutes to kill you and have a little chat with Nezumi. Unless you simply want to hand her over. Then maybe you'll fair better than your friends did."

Yuiko put Nezumi down, moving in front of her. "What did you do to Shuji?" she asked slowly.

 _We made a big scene back there; only a matter of time before the Yugakure shinobi show up. If Jiraiya was attacked like Kabuto claimed, then they may already be in the vicinity. If they detain us, Lady Tsunade should be able to negotiate our freedom, along with Kabuto's transfer to Konoha. I need to buy as much time as I can while keeping him away from Nezumi._

Kabuto chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "I'm not going to bore you with the details, since I know you're trying to buy time. Long story short, I figured something was off when I spotted Jiraiya skulking around the bath houses yesterday. Then I caught a glimpse of your little show in the marketplace, which seemed a bit out of place. I followed the two men who you beat yesterday and discovered that they were Anbu. When they parted ways this morning, I killed the one called Shuji, mimicking the disguise he had on. I did actually consider your involvement, but you were so insistent on the amount of your payment, I wrongly assumed that someone working to get close to Nezumi wouldn't risk ruining their plan by getting caught up in petty details. It was an unfortunate oversight, since I probably would have assumed your identity first. That would have made it much easier to get close to Nezumi without alerting the Yugakure shinobi to my presence. Anyway, that's that — and now, you're in my way."

Blue chakra flowed over his hands as he leapt toward her. Yuiko drew a kunai in each hand, blocking him as he tried to slice at her neck and torso.

"Nezumi!" Yuiko shouted. Nezumi seemed to get the hint, Yuiko picking up the sound of quickly receding footsteps as Kabuto came at her again.

He moved swiftly, working his way through different points to find an opening. Yuiko studied him carefully, considering herself lucky that she could keep up with his movements and seemed to best him in terms of physical strength. He swiped at Yuiko's right hand, causing the kunai to fly from her grip. With her hand now free, Yuiko plucked a piece of paper from the scroll pouch on her belt, forcing it firmly onto his chest. The text on the seal momentarily shone blue and Kabuto let out a gasp, stumbling back a few feet before sprawling out flat on his back and lying motionless in the street. Yuiko exhaled in relief, pleased at how well the chakra seal had worked. She made her way over to Kabuto, pulling out some wire string from a side pocket. He wasn't going to slip away any time soon, if she could help it.

Yuiko bent over to reach for Kabuto's right hand, when he suddenly sprang to his feet, grabbing her right arm with one hand and putting his chakra scalpel to her throat with the other. Yuiko stared at him, stunned.

"You're more interesting than I thought," he sneered. "It's been a while since I've had to utilize this particular skill."

He tightened his grip, pulling her closer. Yuiko winced slightly as the chakra scalpel grazed her neck, causing blood to trickle over her shirt.

"Since you seem curious," Kabuto said, "I'm able to control the flow of chakra through my body to the extent that I can adjust each and every point. Chakra seals work by making contact with one point, then sending a signal through that point to all of the others. If you cut off that point, then the signal has nowhere to go, losing its effect. So, it's pretty handy for me, but unfortunate for you."

Kabuto's gaze shifted to something over her shoulder. He leapt away, a small, round object following after him. The poison bomb hit an empty patch of dirt, exploding in a cloud of noxious gas. Yuiko phased through it on instinct, grateful that Kabuto's attention seemed to be elsewhere. Another bomb flew past her toward where Kabuto now stood. He dodged it, this one exploding against a storefront. Yuiko looked back at Nezumi, who had lifted her robe to reveal a belt of poison bombs strapped to her leg. She was breathing heavily; the look she was giving Kabuto was filled with almost as much venom as the bombs.

"Nezumi!" Yuiko shouted. "Stop! We're not alone here — there might still be people around! Let me handle this!"

Nezumi met her gaze, her arms shaking in frustration. Reluctantly, she started to lower her robe to cover the belt. Her eyes darted suddenly to the side. Yuiko whipped around, following her gaze as Kabuto rushed her. Nezumi cried out as he roughly grabbed her around her waist, bolting toward an alleyway. Yuiko pulled a scroll from her pouch in a flash, unrolling it on the ground. She slammed her palm over the "Earth" symbol at its center.

A stone wall crashed up through the earth, blocking Kabuto's path. He did a quick about-face, holding Nezumi in front of him like a shield. Yuiko raced toward him, pulling another scroll from her pouch. She wasn't going to use the jutsu inside like she was supposed to, but she hoped it would do the trick. Yanking the scroll open, Yuiko placed her palm over the symbol for "lightning" at its center.

A high-pitched screech pierced the air, Yuiko's hand now enveloped in a ball of crackling electricity as the scroll fell away. Her vision immediately began to blur as she rushed Kabuto— causing his image to waver as she drew closer. Kakashi had warned her to only use chidori in close range, since she didn't possess a sharingan to focus her vision like he did. As she struggled to press forward and fight back the nearly overwhelming feeling of vertigo, she completely understood why.

Kabuto pulled Nezumi closer, backing himself against the wall.

 _Neat little trick,_ he thought. _But there's no way to get to me without going through this woman. Time to call her bluff._

Yuiko thrust her hand forward as she reached Kabuto, missing him entirely as her fist crashed into the wall above his left shoulder. Other than the spots now floating over his vision left by the chidori's light, and his ear ringing from Nezumi's incessant screaming, he was unscathed.

Kabuto smirked, readying himself to move away from the woman's pathetic attempt when pain shot through his right shoulder. His grip on Nezumi loosened, Yuiko swiftly hugging Nezumi to herself as she leapt away. Kabuto looked down, watching in shock as blood trickled steadily down his chest from a wound just below his collarbone.

 _That lightning jutsu must have been a diversion … But how … How did she hit me from that angle? Nezumi was in the way. Did she sacrifice that woman just to get to me?_

Kabuto clutched his shoulder, keeping his eyes fixed on Yuiko as he backed away. He began to pool chakra into his hand to cauterize the wound when his attention landed on Nezumi. The woman stood clutching her necklace, clearly unsettled, but also unscathed.

 _What? How is she unharmed? Is this a genjutsu? It can't be, I would know if this was an illusion for sure. What is going on here?_

"Looks like you've seen better days, Kabuto."

Kabuto looked up to see a figure crouched upon the mud wall. Jiraiya looked down at him with a smirk, wriggling his fingers in a playful wave. He leapt down, landing casually next to Yuiko. "He seems to be in a sorry state. And here I was thinking you'd need my help," he said, giving Yuiko a wink.

Yuiko cautiously moved forward, keeping her eyes on Kabuto. "Stay close to Nezumi; I had some trouble with my aim so I only grazed him."

Kabuto stepped back, removing his hand from his wound. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small vial. "Don't worry, I won't be bothering Miss Nezumi any longer," he said smugly. "I had enough time to pick her pockets, and found what I was after."

Yuiko continued her approach, stopping when she heard Nezumi cry out. The woman had begun laughing hysterically, nearly doubled over in her mirth. Jiraiya looked at Nezumi as if she'd gone insane.

"And I thought you were smart, Kabuto!" Nezumi yelled defiantly. "That isn't the fenikkusu root!" She clutched her brooch, the front part separating from the back with a 'pop!' She reached inside and pulled out a small, black vial. "I have it right here! Some thief you are!"

Jiraiya and Yuiko stared at her in disbelief.

 _I can't believe she fell for that,_ they thought in unison.

Kabuto moved toward Nezumi in a flash. Yuiko tried to block him, but he darted around her grasp. Without warning, Kabuto turned back to her, slashing her across the arm with a kunai. Yuiko phased through it, but only partially, since she couldn't give her ability away— a shallow gash would do for appearances.

Yuiko's arm was quickly consumed with a burning sensation. The feeling moved from her arm to her torso, her lungs suddenly feeling as if they were on fire. She fell to her hands and knees, staring at the ground as she gasped for air.

 _He got me with a poison. A strong one_ , she thought.

The sound of quick footfalls heralded Jiraiya's approach, Yuiko turning her head slightly to see that he was dragging Nezumi behind him by the wrist. Yuiko's arms gave out, falling onto her stomach in the dirt. She looked past Jiraiya's leg, watching as Kabuto hovered a few feet away, waiting for Jiraiya to lower his guard. Yuiko tried to direct Jiraiya's attention away from her, but a soft wheeze was all she could manage to get out when she opened her mouth. Her body was now using ample amounts of chakra to slow the poison's flow, and it seemed like she didn't have much left for anything else.

 _Kokuō …_

" _I'm on it_ _—_ _keep your breathing in check,"_ came the curt reply.

Yuiko could feel her chakra draining at a slower rate, but it still wasn't enough. Her disguise dissipated in a small 'poof' of smoke. She watched Kabuto's eyes flick over to her before putting his focus back on Jiraiya. Something seemed to click, and his attention darted back to her, a perplexed look growing on his face. The tension between his eyebrows suddenly vanished, a slow smile drawing across his face.

Yuiko's hearing was becoming muffled, but she could make out shouts coming from the other side of the mud wall. Kabuto turned, dashing around the corner of a storefront and out of sight. Jiraiya stood his ground, looking nervously back and forth between Yuiko and where Kabuto disappeared.

"Go," Yuiko muttered.

Jiraiya frowned, flexing his fingers as he looked down at her. He sighed, releasing his grip on Nezumi to scoop Yuiko off the ground. "I'm not going to leave you," he said softly.

Yuiko let out a frustrated grunt before losing consciousness.

.

* * *

.

Yuiko opened her eyes, the blurry vision of a wooden ceiling coming into focus. She could tell from the smell alone that she was in a hospital, although it was clearly not Konoha's.

"Do you think ..." she said, turning her head toward Jiraiya, who sat reading a book at her bedside. He jumped, startled at the sound of her voice.

"... anyone would buy a book describing the interiors of hospital rooms around the world? I think I'm well on my way to having enough material."

Jiraiya scowled at her, leaning toward her with his hands on his knees. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Yuiko said mildly. "Did I startle you?"

"Not that just now, you idiot," Jiraiya said. "The thing with the poison."

"Oh," Yuiko said passively, turning her gaze back up to the ceiling.

"'Oh'? You almost died and all you have to say is 'Oh'?" Jiraiya said, lifting his arms in a frustrated gesture.

"I would have been fine," Yuiko said, pulling herself up into a sitting position. "Uzumakis aren't affected by poison the same way as most people. And I have Kokuō."

"Kokuō? Is that —?" Jiraiya sighed, "It doesn't matter. I'm going to go lie down; I have a hell of a headache." He crossed the room, pausing in the doorway with his back turned to her. "I'm sorry I almost got you killed. Again."

Yuiko listened to the sound of his sandals clacking against the floor as he walked down the hallway. She felt oddly sad when the sound faded away.


	32. Chapter 32

Yuiko looked out over the ocean, taking in the gusts of ocean spray the wind occasionally blew her way. This was her first time seeing it again after returning to Konoha; looking down over the cliff face, she hadn't realized until now how much she had missed it.

"Akemi! Are you feeling alright?" Nezumi called out.

Yuiko turned, seeing that Nezumi and Jiraiya had stopped walking further down the trail. They looked almost picturesque; the short grass about their feet swaying gently from the ocean breeze coming up from the shoreline far below. It was a bright, clear afternoon boasting enough splendor to make Yuiko momentarily forget the guilt turning in her stomach. Yuiko's cheeks blushed in embarrassment as she jogged to catch up, her pack clinking softly as the jars of salves, poisons, and whatever else Nezumi felt was appropriate for her payment jostled against each other. "Sorry, I shouldn't be wasting time."

"Hey!" Jiraiya said, cheerfully. "It's a beautiful day! Can't blame you for wanting to take some of it in, huh?"

Yuiko shrugged; frustrated that she let herself get distracted. More than that, she knew that because of her their mission had been a bust. Kabuto could have been a wealth of information on the Akatsuki, and her slip-up let him get away. Two men were dead because of her, for nothing.

Nezumi was watching her, concerned. The woman had worked tirelessly to evaluate what Kabuto had poisoned Yuiko with, and then stayed up half the night using her own ingredients to put together an antidote. It would have come far too late for a regular person, but Yuiko was able to hang on long enough for the antidote to take effect. Yuiko felt a little guilty that she had lied to Jiraiya earlier about being alright simply because of her bloodline; Kokuō had told her about the injections that took place while she was still unconscious. She very well may have died if it wasn't for Nezumi, but she didn't want to worry Jiraiya about it any further.

As Yuiko was recovering, Jiraiya had introduced himself to Nezumi as Akemi's former Sensei. He thanked Nezumi profusely for her kindness, and offered to help Akemi escort Nezumi to the port, free of charge. Yuiko insisted that she felt well enough to travel by the next day, and the three of them had set off. Yuiko had re-donned her disguise for the mission, despite Nezumi's protests about conserving her chakra.

Yuiko wasn't sure what her feelings toward Nezumi were at that point. The woman had practically cried when she saw Yuiko sitting up in bed the day prior, throwing her arms around her and hugging her so tightly Yuiko could hardly breathe. Yuiko couldn't wrap her head around how someone like Nezumi could have been in love with a monster like Orochimaru. But the woman did save her life, which she couldn't deny. The least she could do was make sure Nezumi made it safely to her ferry.

They walked for some time longer, the sun dipping down to nearly touch the horizon as the port town came into view. Jiraiya and Nezumi had spent the day chatting casually about nothing in particular as they walked. They seemed to get along well, although Yuiko got the feeling that it was oddly insincere. Considering Nezumi's taste in men, Jiraiya must have been a far mark from what she preferred. Jiraiya put on a more convincing facade, although he threw some troubled glances at Yuiko throughout the day.

They reached a bend in the trail where it broke off from the cliff face and began to wind itself down the hillside to meet up with a larger road below. Yuiko could make out crowds of people going to and from the village in the distance. Jiraiya stopped, letting out a sigh as he rubbed the back of his head. Nezumi turned to face him, matching Yuiko's puzzled expression.

"Nezumi," Jiraiya said, slowly. "That man, Kabuto. I think you know how dangerous he is. And I think you know that it would be bad news if he got a hold of that fenikkusu root."

Nezumi snorted. "Of course, I'm not a fool. I'm not planning on having to deal with that man ever again."

"Yeah, well," Jiraiya said, his voice taking on a harder tone, "I'm afraid that isn't good enough for me. I want to buy the root."

Nezumi's hand darted to her amulet. "It's not for sale," she said.

Jiraiya took a step toward her; Nezumi's eyes growing wide as they darted between him and Yuiko. Yuiko reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "Jiraiya," she said hesitantly.

He shook her off, continuing on his path until he stood towering over Nezumi. "Look, this isn't personal," he said firmly, "but you can't keep that safe. I can. I've already done some research on what a fenikkusu root would go for. I'm ready to pay you nearly double for it. So hand it over. Please."

Nezumi's knuckles had gone white from how firmly she was clutching the amulet. She looked desperately at Yuiko. "Akemi!" she said, pleadingly, "I'll pay you! Whatever you want! You can protect me — you're strong, stronger than anyone I've met! I'm sure you'd be able to beat Kabuto if he was dumb enough to try again. Tell him! Tell him that you could protect me and the root!"

Yuiko's chest grew tight at the sight of Nezumi's desperation. She looked away, saying nothing.

"A-Akemi …" Nezumi said hopelessly, her grip loosening on the amulet. Jiraiya reached up, gently unfastening it from around the woman's neck. Yuiko kept her eyes lowered, feeling Nezumi's gaze burning a hole into the top of her head. She nervously balled her hands into fists, peering up at Jiraiya. "Jiraiya, do we have to do this?"

Jiraiya regarded her for a moment, before tossing her the amulet. Yuiko caught it, opening up her hands to see the jewel, glittering brightly from the day's remaining sunlight. She hesitated, but pressed it firmly at one point along the edge like she had seen Nezumi do earlier. It popped open, and she removed the small vial. The outline of the root was faintly visible through the dark glass.

"What do you want to do, kid?" Jiraiya asked flatly. He looked at her passively, in stark contrast to Nezumi, who now had tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

"Please," Nezumi sobbed. "It reminds ... it reminds me of him. Of how much he means to me. Of our love …"

"Orochimaru didn't love. He wasn't capable of it. Trust me, you're better off," Jiraiya said bitterly. Yuiko was taken aback by his statement. It wasn't like him to say something so blatantly cruel, even if it may have been true.

Nezumi turned to him, fire in her eyes. "How dare you assume what he felt for me in his heart! Just because he had no love for you doesn't mean that he felt the same about me!"

Jiraiya's frown deepened, his eyes flashing as he regarded her.

Nezumi sneered. "Of course I know who you are, _Jiraiya_. And the fenikkusu root — I'm sure keeping it away from Kabuto isn't the only reason you want it. The way you think, it's similar to how he used to. You should take that as a compliment."

Yuiko timidly approached Nezumi, holding out the now-empty amulet. Nezumi slapped it from her hand, turning briskly to start her descent down the hillside. The two of them watched her go in silence. Yuiko followed Nezumi's figure until it became a small dot, blending in among the crowd at the village entrance.

"Kabuto," she said, looking up at Jiraiya. "Do you think he'll go after her?"

"No," Jiraiya replied, "he knows that we wouldn't let her keep it. I'm sure he's counting on that. Everyone in the area has been altered to his presence, and he's got a pretty hefty ransom in the Bingo Books, so I don't think we need to worry about him sticking around."

He spared one last glance at the village, then began to walk back the way they had come. Yuiko watched the village for a moment longer, slowly turning to follow Jiraiya.


	33. Chapter 33

Yuiko and Jiraiya stopped to make camp in a small forest clearing a few hours after dark. They hadn't spoken a word since they parted ways with Nezumi, but Yuiko's curiosity got the better of her as they ate their rations in front of the fire.

"Was this," she said, holding up the vial, "the real reason we went to Yugakure?"

Jiraiya regarded her for a moment before exhaling heavily. He crossed his arms, leaning back against a tree. "It is. Nezumi has been a person of interest for Konoha for quite some time. We had an idea that she was meeting up with Orochimaru, but we didn't want to follow up unless we were sure. We lost track of her when it was rumored that she disappeared in some mountain range attempting to harvest fenikkusu root. Harvesting the root is notoriously dangerous; we marked her down as missing when she didn't resurface. Then one day, not only did she pop back up, but she was announcing her retirement and selling off large amounts of her inventory. We bribed one of her suppliers to inquire about the root and any potential buyers. She claimed that she had returned from her trip empty handed, but that seemed a little fishy. The theory that the Akatsuki might target the auction wasn't a flat-out lie, but my secondary objective was to get information about Orochimaru's whereabouts and acquire the root if she had it. Even a piece of fenikkusu root as small as what you hold in your hand has amazing regenerative properties. That's what Tsunade told me, at least."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, putting the vial in her front pocket.

Jiraiya shifted uncomfortably, looking away. "There was, of course, a chance that Nezumi would hand the root over without a fuss for the right price. But if she did have it with her and she wasn't selling it, then the other option would be taking it by force. I didn't think you'd agree to that."

"Then why bring me?" Yuiko said, watching him closely. "If you just needed a kunoichi, there are a number of Anbu operatives who could have taken my place."

"It's the dumbest thing," Jiraiya chuckled. "Your acting skills are abysmal. Before the party in Iwa, I thought Tsunade must have been yanking my chain when she said that you were an official Anbu member. But it turns out, you're so bad at it, you come off as being genuine since you just default to being yourself. All the guests at that party had no doubt you were anything other than my assistant. A few of them have even written to me asking how your pet therapy business was going. You'll never be able to pull off being someone cruel or domineering, or heavens forbid a seduction mission, but you're unassuming enough to get the average person to trust you. And for that reason, I knew you could get Nezumi on your side. But for that same reason, I knew if I told you about what we may have to do to get the root, you'd never be able to pull it off."

Yuiko stared at him, slowly tilting her head. "I have no idea whether I should be insulted or not."

"Take it as you will," Jiraiya said with a shrug. They fell into another long silence, the flash of mirth Jiraiya had before snuffing out like a candle flame.

Yuiko studied his face as he looked into the fire. Somehow he seemed much older than the day they left on this trip; the red lines beneath his eyes appeared to bend over the creases in his skin, accentuating them. There had been a shift in his attitude that occurred even before their confrontation with Nezumi. It took her some time, but Yuiko was finally able to figure out why after the conversation on the hilltop. "I'm sorry," she said gently.

He frowned at her, furrowing his brow. "Don't feel sorry for me. I did what I had to do for the village."

"Not that," she said, "I'm sorry about Orochimaru."

Jiraiya's eyebrows shot up momentarily in surprise before he smirked slightly and looked back into the fire.

"What a ridiculous thing to say," he said.

—

Yuiko moved silently through the brush. The two of them had passed by a small hot spring earlier in their search for a suitable campsite, and she decided to soak while Jiraiya watched their gear at the camp. Yuiko had a feeling that he needed some time alone, anyway.

She was pleased that it was a warm, clear night. The moonlight shone down brightly, illuminating her path. Yuiko's attention was suddenly caught by the sound of a snapping twig. She spun around, straining her ears. Another twig snapped, and she spotted something large move behind a tree.

"Reveal yourself," she said, grabbing a kunai from her pouch. The figure moved from behind the tree and into the moonlight. Kabuto stepped forward with a smirk. Yuiko tensed, reaching for a scroll in her pouch.

"No need for that, Miss Yuiko," Kabuto said lightheartedly.

Yuiko's breath caught in her chest. Kabuto laughed. "Put the knife down. I just want to talk. I think you'll want to hear what I have to say."

"I think you're mistaken," she said, unmoving.

"Stubborn, aren't you?" he said, pushing his glasses up further on his nose. "Fine, then I'll be blunt. I took a little refresher through my Bingo Book about all your known abilities. I have to compliment you on that phasing jutsu; very impressive. But you did also whip out some techniques earlier that weren't in the book. I suppose your entry is quite dated. Clever on Konoha's part, having everyone think you're still a missing nin. I'm sure the Akatsuki would find it _very_ interesting to know you're back home."

Yuiko strengthened her grip on the kunai, the leather around the hilt crinkling.

"Now, now," Kabuto said smugly, "like I said, all I want is to talk. Plus, I know a little bit more about what I'm dealing with now. If you attack me, I'm fairly confident I can give you the slip. Then I'll just run straight to the Akatsuki and tell them all about you. I can't say I'm a big fan of theirs, but I'm sure they would reward me nicely for a tip in your direction."

Yuiko reluctantly lowered her arm, placing her kunai back in her belt. Kabuto strode toward her confidently. "That's better. Now we can get down to business," he said. "You have the root on you, don't you?"

A tingling sensation dropped down Yuiko's spine. She kicked herself for forgetting to take it out of her pocket.

Yuiko frowned, "No, I left it with Jiraiya."

"That's funny, because I could have sworn that I saw you put it in your pocket back at camp," Kabuto said snidely. He laughed at the surprised expression that appeared on her face. "I was a spy for a long time, you know. Watching people from the shadows happens to be one of my specialties."

He smiled, putting out his hand. "You're thinking about what options you have available to apprehend me. I can tell you that I wouldn't be standing here if I thought you had any that would work. So you should really just get on with handing over the vial."

" _Be careful,"_ Kokuō warned.

 _I can do this. I can get him if he tries to get away. I can use your power; he hasn't seen that yet._

" _But if he gets away, we may have to leave the village again."_

Yuiko hesitated, but slowly brought her hand up to her pocket. She removed the vial, holding it tightly. She exhaled, then tossed it to him. The vial smacked against his palm. He immediately opened the vial, studying the contents. He smirked, placing it in his pocket. "Thank you, Miss Yuiko. I appreciate you aiding me in my journey of self-discovery."

He revealed a piece of cloth from another pocket, unwrapping it gingerly. He pulled a vial from the cloth, tossing it to Yuiko. She caught it, seeing that it looked nearly identical to the one she had given him. It even appeared to have a root inside.

"That is what's known as bashirisuku root," he said. "It comes from a tree related to the fenikkusu root, but it doesn't have the same cell regeneration properties of its cousin. It will, however, pass close enough to the real deal once you get back to Konoha. If anyone figures out it's a fake, you can simply tell them that Nezumi must have been mistaken about what she had in her possession the entire time."

Yuiko opened the vial, inspecting the root. "Why give me this?"

"Well," he said matter-of-factly, "this will buy me some time. I'm sure that even you have surmised that I plan to use the fenikkusu root for something. If Lady Tsunade was also under that impression, she would double her efforts to locate me before I do so. I'll still be wanted for the murder of her men, among other things, naturally, but this way she will have no incentive to bolster her search efforts any more than before. Which reminds me …"

He pointed at her. "You were very friendly with those Anbu members back there. Friendly enough to make me think that you're one of them, correct?"

Yuiko glowered at him. He shrugged. "I guess I can't expect too much. But I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that was a 'yes.' So I'm going to ask you to do something for me: whatever the Anbu have planned when it comes to tracking me down, I want you to impede it. In fact, if you could get yourself assigned to anything involving me, I would be most grateful. It would give us a chance to have more of our little chats."

Yuiko's face twisted in anger. "I will not help you."

"You already have, Miss Yuiko," he said, patting his pocket. "And you will continue to do so if you want your identity kept from the Akatsuki. And obviously, you won't mention this to anyone. Do we have a deal?"

Yuiko gritted her teeth, her fists shaking in frustration. Kabuto backed away into the shadows. "Until next time, Miss Yuiko. Hopefully I'll be a whole new man when we meet again." He disappeared in a flash.

Yuiko flung her fist at a nearby tree. She hit the tree again and again until blood dripped from her knuckles. She stopped, breathing heavily.

 _Next time we meet, Kabuto Yakushi, I'll be ready._

* * *

A/N: I wanted to thank everyone again for reading/following/reviewing my story. It really means a lot, and I'm glad you're enjoying it! ^.^

I'll be going out of town next week for a family reunion (my baby cousin is going to high school in the fall ... WHAT HAPPENED?!), so there will be a short hiatus but updates will pick back up again as normal the week after. I hope everyone has a fabulous week, and you'll find me hitting up every fair possible for corn dogs. Has anyone else noticed they're surprisingly hard to find outside grocery stores the rest of the year? It's a tragedy.


	34. Chapter 34

"Are you sure he's on his way back to Konoha? Shouldn't you collect more intel?" Yuiko asked.

"I'm fairly certain," Kakashi replied. "And it's a little late to try to get out of it," he teased.

"I've only been home for two days. You can't blame me for not wanting to leave again," she mumbled.

"If Itachi really is in the area, this won't take long," he said as they rounded a corner and Konoha's large red archway came into view.

Yuiko had been emptying out her knapsack from her trip when a knock came at the door. She was dismayed to see it was Kakashi, who only used the door when he needed something from her. He filled her in on his plan to apprehend a member of the Akatsuki; he believed that Itachi Uchiha would be the easiest target to find since he was coming after Naruto. Bringing her along could be risky, but he felt that the use of her dōjutsu seal could outweigh that risk.

The grey clouds that had been hanging overhead since sunrise finally made good on their promise for rain. Yuiko pulled up the hood of her tan cloak as the first few droplets splashed down on her face.

"Looks like everyone's here," Kakashi said brightly as they approached a group at the gate.

 _Everyone is always here before you are,_ Yuiko thought.

She recognized the adult members of the group: Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Yamato. Yuiko regarded the younger members as she approached, Naruto and Sakura being the only ones she knew very well. Three of the members she recognized as students of Kurenai Yūhi, who specialized in reconnaissance missions. Kiba Inuzuka, an obvious member of the Inuzuka clan from the prominent triangular marks on his cheeks, boasted impressive tracking abilities, but seemed to spoil his talents by rushing into situations before thinking them through. Kiba wasted no time gloating about his abilities and achievements to anyone who would listen, even her. However, the shortcomings to his claimed achievements were usually pointed out to him rather abruptly by his teammate, Shino Aburame.

Yuiko rather liked Shino; he acted just as indifferent to her as he seemed to act toward everyone else. He usually wore sunglasses and kept most of his face hidden with his jacket, but the distinct chakra let off by his insects was easy enough to recognize. She would come across him occasionally in some of the outer training areas, observing various insects. She made the mistake once of asking him about it. Three hours later, she knew all about the breeding, eating, and nesting habits of the kikaichū beetle. Yuiko decided to keep their encounters more brief after that.

Then there was Hinata Hyūga, who Yuiko had only seen in passing. There had been an odd incident, though, that happened a few weeks back when she ran into Sakura at the convenience store. Yuiko had been chatting with Sakura about her new living circumstances, and mentioned how she went through so much more detergent now washing Naruto's clothes along with her own. Something crashed the next aisle over, and they looked over in time to see Hinata's glossy black hair disappear behind the corner as she left the store. Sakura quickly told Yuiko not to worry, and that she would 'explain everything' to Hinata, although she wouldn't elaborate when Yuiko asked what she meant by it. It bothered her, though, since Hinata seemed to pointedly avoid making any eye contact when their paths crossed.

 _It must be the dōjutsu seal,_ Yuiko had decided. Her sparring partner Hoheto must have mentioned it to others by now. It was a powerful deterrent to an ocular jutsu user, and could be intimidating to a member of the Hyūga clan. Yuiko decided to make a point of explaining to Hinata that she had nothing to worry about next time she got the chance.

Standing with them was also Team 7's newest member, Sai, who was a bit of an enigma since she hadn't seen him around the village until recently. She had asked Kakashi about him once, only to be brushed off when he pretended that he didn't hear the question. She suspected that he might be a shinobi who had returned to Konoha after a prolonged imprisonment, considering he looked like he had spent the past few years locked in some dungeon away from sunlight.

"Hey, should we have more guys?" Naruto asked, looking about the group.

"Having two squads is an ideal number," Kakashi replied. "Any more than that and we would risk detection and muddle the chain of command."

"Restraining the enemy requires more skill than just killing them," Jiraiya interjected. "In coordinating squads, it's ideal to use members who are accustomed to working together."

 _I've only worked with two of the members here. Perhaps I should be concerned,_ Yuiko thought.

"Good luck, kid," Jiraiya whispered, giving Yuiko a wink. She returned the smile and nodded. She had to admit, she was a little disappointed that Jiraiya wasn't planning on accompanying them on this mission. He was staying behind to comb through different leads on the Akatsuki that had come in while they were away. Yuiko also suspected that he still needed a little down time concerning the news about Orochimaru.

"Alright!" Tsunade barked, grabbing everyone's attention. "I'm officially issuing the order for a mission to locate and apprehend Itachi Uchiha. Be cautious, and carry out your duties to your best abilities!"

"Right!" the group chorused.

—

"It's been awhile, Pakkun," Yuiko said, staring at the small pug atop Kakashi's shoulder.

"It has," the dog replied in a deep voice. "Someone doesn't like us associating, for some reason."

"You were getting fat," Kakashi said with a tinge of annoyance.

Yuiko quickly averted her eyes as she set herself a few paces back from Kakashi. Kakashi reached over for the dog, placing him on the ground. "You can go a bit ahead if you need to, Pakkun. Let me know if you pick up on anything."

"Sure thing," Pakkun said, trotting up the trail. The trail they were on twisted and turned into a deep forest. The clouds had cleared, leaving the forest glittering with the remnants of the passing shower.

"He is a very cute dog," Sai said with a smile. "I like dogs. Do you like dogs?"

"Yes, I do. They're very genuine," Yuiko replied.

Sai appeared pleased by her answer, although the boy appeared pleased by just about everything. Kakashi had decided to group the three of them together, considering that Yuiko was also a jinchūriki. Even though the Akatsuki were unaware of her whereabouts, he felt that having a three-man squad similar to Naruto's would be the safest option. Yuiko had donned another disguise, this time changing her hair and eye color to a deep brown.

"You seem nice …" Sai paused in thought. "Demon Girl," he said, holding his pointer fingers on the sides of his head like horns.

"Demon Girl?" Yuiko asked, touching the two points that bent up into triangles atop her head. "Because of my hair?"

"Yes. And because you are a jinchūriki," Sai replied earnestly.

"Sai, we talked about this …" Kakashi warned from a few paces ahead.

Yuiko held her hands together at her chest, her eyes growing slightly dewy. "No one other than Kokuō has given me a nickname before," she replied, touched.

 _She can't be serious,_ Kakashi thought, incredulous.

Yuiko looked at Sai thoughtfully, pursing her lips. "If I would be Demon Girl, then you would Ghost Boy," she said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, because I am pale," Sai replied as Yuiko nodded in agreement.

 _Well, this isn't how I was expecting to spend my day,_ Kakashi thought.

"What would you call Kakashi?" Yuiko asked Sai curiously. The two of them put on thoughtful expressions, staring at the back of his head.

"When I first met him, Broom Head was the first thing that came to mind," Sai replied.

"Hmm," Yuiko said, squinting her eyes. "Yes, I could see that …"

"I think we should help Pakkun out a bit more with the tracking," Kakashi said, growing mildly annoyed.

"Right!" Yuiko said sheepishly. The three of them split off the trail, keeping within shouting distance. The area they were covering was heavily wooded, a good place to hide if someone wanted to stay undetected. However, between the four of them, Yuiko was confident they would find Itachi if he was out here.

 _Even with my seal,_ she thought, _Itachi Uchiha is something else. He messed up Kakashi pretty bad last time he came to the village, from what I was told. I still wonder about what happened to Itachi, to make him do what he did. To wipe out his entire clan. It's still so hard to believe. Mikoto was so kind. But he killed her too, his own mother ..._

Two hours passed without a lead before Kakashi called the group back to convene. "Pakkun," he said, looking down at the pug, "go touch base with the others. I think it's time to adjust the central point for our search since it doesn't look like anyone has come up with anything yet."

Pakkun nodded, turning to go when a bright light suddenly shot up into the sky. They all looked up to gaze at an enormous, star-shaped explosion. A loud 'boom!' cracked through the air as the ground shook from the shockwave.

"Kakashi, what is that?" Pakkun asked, his ears flopping wildly in the wind.

Kakashi pulled back his headband, his hair flipping around in the gust as he studied the blast with his sharingan. His eyes narrowed, "This chakra … it's that Akatsuki member."

"But, the one with the explosions," Yuiko said, "he's the one that you killed, right?"

"I had thought so," Kakashi said, putting his headband back in place. "It looks like that may not have been the case. Let's go."

—

The three of them stood looking down grimly at the edge of the crater, Kakashi having pulled up his headband again as he studied the destruction. Shino, Kiba, and Sakura had joined them shortly after they arrived, looking about the area for clues to what happened. Yuiko was relieved when Naruto, Yamato, and Hinata emerged from the forest a few minutes later.

"What happened?" Naruto shouted.

"There are signs that Sasuke was here," Sakura replied. Yamato approached Yuiko, pulling her aside as the others conversed over what may have happened.

"We ran into Kabuto," he said coldly. A chill ran down Yuiko's spine.

"What was he doing here?" she asked hesitantly.

"He gave Naruto a cryptic message about how he inspired him to find his 'true self' or something. He claimed to have injected himself with Orochimaru's cells. He seemed completely insane."

' _Hopefully I'll be a whole new man the next time we meet'._

Kabuto's words echoed in Yuiko's head. _The fenikkusu root_ — _that's why he was after it_.

Yamato reached into his cloak, pulling out a black notebook. "He gave this to Naruto. He said that it was all his intel on the Akatsuki. I looked through it, and a lot of what he has in here aligns with what we've gathered. But, there is some information in here that seemed to be hidden using seals. I didn't recognize much, but they didn't appear too complex."

Yuiko took the book reluctantly, not liking the idea of carrying around something that once belonged to Kabuto. "Anything urgent?" she asked, unable to bring herself to open it.

"Yes," he replied with a nod. "There's information in there concerning the Akatsuki's headquarters. I figured you and Master Jiraiya would need to see it right away."

She looked down sourly at the book. A shadow fell over it, and she looked up to see Kakashi standing next to them.

"We have a lead on Sasuke," he said. "What do we have here?"

Yamato filled Kakashi in concerning their encounter with Kabuto and the contents of the book. Kakashi nodded in understanding, glancing between Yamato and the book as he took in the information. He stood in thought for a moment after Yamato had finished, raising his gaze to meet Yuiko's. "Yuiko," he said, "I want you to take the book back to Konoha to have the information analyzed."

"Why me?" Yuiko asked, taken aback. He could very easily have one of the ninken run the book back, if he pleased.

"Because," Kakashi said, "building intel on the Akatsuki has been as much your project as Jiraiya's. He may need your assistance in unlocking those seals and sorting through the material."

"But I'm the only one who has the dōjutsu seal," she said with a frown.

"True," he replied, "but hopefully it won't get to the point where we would require it. I'll send one of the ninken after you if we need your help."

Yuiko wanted to protest, but noticed that the entire group was now listening in on their conversation. She shot Kakashi a sour look as she tucked the book into her cloak. "Don't do anything stupid," she said gruffly.

"I'll do my best," Kakashi replied.


	35. Chapter 35

"Farwell!"

Jiraiya held up his arm, giving Tsunade a thumbs-up as he walked away. The remaining sunlight as the evening wore on bathed the park in an orange glow, the streetlights clicking on as they were immersed in long shadows. His sendoff had been somewhat emotional, although that in part may have been due to Tsunade's intoxicated state.

 _And I bet she's back there, looking at me wistfully. Her eyes glistening with the tears she's fighting to hold back. She's torn as my figure retreats into the sunset, wondering if she should chase after me or let me go. This would make a great scene for one of my stories,_ Jiraiya thought smugly.

He rounded a corner, spotting Yuiko sitting casually on top of one of the short walls lining the gardens.

"You two are just too cute," she said in a mocking tone. Jiraiya smirked, Yuiko getting to her feet and matching his stride as he left the park. "You're going," she stated frankly.

"Looks like it," Jiraiya replied with gusto. Yuiko had returned to the village earlier that day with Kabuto's intel. They combed the pages, the two of them making quick work of the simple seals Kabuto had placed within the journal. Within the notebook, they found yet another source pointing to Amegakure being the headquarters of the Akatsuki. Jiraiya had made up his mind then and there to go as soon as possible.

"I think you should change your mind," Yuiko said as they walked through the streets. They paused to let a man pulling a cart of pottery pass in front of them. Many of the merchants were closing up shop, but many more of the restaurants and bars were lighting lanterns and setting up tables to preserve the marketplace's lively nature.

"I've never been to Amegakure, but I've traveled through the region," she continued. "I can help you get in and out of there without detection."

"Sorry, but I'm not changing my mind," Jiraiya said as they resumed their stroll. "It would be like wearing a waterskin into a room full of men dying of thirst. Sure, they may not notice it, but if they do, that waterskin and the man keeping it from them would be ripped apart."

"I'm good at not being noticed," Yuiko said, giving him a sideways glance. "You just haven't figured that out yet since you keep putting me in situations that do the opposite."

"Is that so?" Jiraiya laughed. "This isn't a personal attack on your skills, you know. I'm just using some common sense in thinking that bringing a jinchūriki along to the heart of the organization looking to kill her may not be a good idea."

He smirked, regarding her sour expression. "Besides, I need you to do something for me," he said coyly. "Tell that foolish apprentice of mine that he has a long way to go before he gets to Hokage. And I'm expecting him to not slack off while I'm away; I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve to teach him. You'll tell him that, won't you?"

"Don't patronize me," she replied dismissively.

"No, no, you're much too smart for that," he smiled. "To tell you the truth, I need to start making good on a promise I made a long time ago."

"A promise?" Yuiko asked, looking up at him.

The two of them stopped as they reached the main archway. The sun had almost completely set, and the stars were beginning to blink into existence above them. Jiraiya looked up at them with a grin. "I made a promise to keep you safe. I broke it when I let you go the night Minato died, knowing full well that you would sacrifice yourself if given the chance. It's not the first promise I've broken, and I know it won't be the last, but it was the last thing Minato and Kushina asked me to do for them before they died. And if this plan works, I can help to stop the Akatsuki going after the jinchūriki once and for all. So, if it comes down to me risking my neck or you risking yours, I'm going to pick my own."

He returned his gaze to Yuiko, who immediately looked away, her eyes locked on the dirt road at their feet. She bunched the material of her pants in her hands, her lip quivering slightly.

' _They stood under the great archway as the stars shone above; a somber moment among the merriment in the village around them. She was overcome with emotion, unable to speak at the thought of his absence. He stood stoically, giving every impression of a pillar of strength and resolve.' Man, I need to write some this down,_ Jiraiya thought.

"You know," Yuiko whispered, her eyes still on their feet. "I couldn't understand it — how different you two were. Minato was warm-hearted and selfless, and you were a boisterous showboat who only cared about peeping on women."

Jiraiya frowned, furrowing his brow. Yuiko looked up at him, laughing at his expression. "But," she continued, wiping the corner of her eye with her sleeve, "I'm beginning to see the resemblance."

Jiraiya smirked. "Take care of yourself, kid," he said, walking into the dusk.

.

* * *

.

"Naruto?"

Naruto lifted his head from the pillow, glaring over his shoulder. "Use the door."

Yuiko's shoulders stiffened, the upper half of her body sticking through the bedroom door. She quickly pulled herself out of sight. There were a few seconds of silence, followed by a soft knock.

Naruto sighed, rolling over onto his back. "Come in," he said.

Naruto hadn't slept well; he'd done nothing but think about his confrontation with Itachi. They had failed to apprehend him, and had also failed at finding Sasuke. During the mission, his team had run into some other Akatsuki members: a weird guy wearing an orange mask who called himself Tobi, and a creepy-looking plant guy. Naruto had overheard the two of them talking about how Sasuke had killed Itachi, but that Sasuke was in bad shape afterward. The thought that Sasuke might be dead gnawed at him, making it hard for him to focus on anything else. He had kept himself locked in his room for the past two days, only leaving to eat or use the restroom. He hadn't yet spoken to Yuiko, who until today simply watched him with a worried expression while he moped about the apartment.

Yuiko opened the door, stepping cautiously into Naruto's room. Her nervous expression shifted into one of determination as he groggily looked up at her.

"I want you to go outside with me," she said firmly. The sight of Yuiko trying to be intimidating almost made Naruto laugh, but he decided instead to roll over onto his side, facing away.

Naruto stayed put as he heard Yuiko approach the bed. "I'd like to take you for some ramen," she said, her voice the same serious tone. It was tempting, but Naruto continued to ignore her, staring at his plant in the corner.

"After ramen, I want to teach you a new jutsu."

Naruto turned his head, looking up at her with raised eyebrows. "A new jutsu?" he asked, unable to keep the surprise from his voice. Yuiko had never shown any interest in teaching him anything before, although he couldn't say he'd thought to ask her.

"Kakashi said that would catch your interest," Yuiko said, sounding pleased with herself. Naruto didn't like that his former sensei was giving Yuiko tips on how to manipulate him, but he had to admit that it worked.

"What kind of jutsu?" Naruto said, sitting up.

"I'll show you after lunch," Yuiko said smugly, exiting his room. Naruto sighed, but reached for his jacket hanging beside the bed.

—

Lunch at Ichiraku's Ramen was tasty, although a little uncomfortable. Naruto and Yuiko were seated at the counter, finishing up their bowls, when Kiba appeared and gave Naruto a sharp slap on the back in greeting. He started to brag about the escort mission his team had just been assigned, which he was _pretty sure_ included a princess of some sort, when the rest of his team arrived. For a moment it looked like they were going to join them, until Hinata leaned into view and froze at the sight of them. Her cheeks turned a bright red before she sharply turned about and ran off. Kiba sighed loudly in exasperation, calling after Hinata as he followed her. Shino gave a half-hearted shrug by way of apology and left without ever saying a word.

"Sorry," Yuiko said guiltily. "I think she's scared of me."

Naruto thought about asking why, but decided he didn't really want to know.

—

"Alright!" Yuiko said, excitedly clapping her hands as she and Naruto entered a grassy clearing in the training area. She turned to him, smiling ear-to-ear. "This will be your first time learning a type of fūinjutsu, right?"

"Fūinjutsu?" he asked, his smile disappearing. "Like, that thing you did before with the scroll?"

Before leaving on her last mission with Pervy-Sage, Naruto had come home one day to find Yuiko at the table with a number of scrolls rolled out in front of her. He had watched, somewhat entranced, as Yuiko's hand flitted across the paper, occasionally pausing to dip her brush in ink before continuing to form the symbols with refined strokes. She tried to explain to him what she was doing as she went, but Naruto quickly found himself lost in her complex explanation of the balance between the symbols, what they meant, and how much chakra to funnel into each one. Naruto was more than a little disappointed that sitting down and reading was all he would be doing today.

"Not all fūinjutsu use scrolls," Yuiko said, holding up a finger. "In fact, you don't necessarily need ink or scrolls to do fūinjutsu at all. You can create a seal on almost any surface, and with some practice you can use chakra instead of ink. Now, ink and sealing paper make the process immensely easier, which is why I use them when I can. But today I'm going to teach you a seal where you shouldn't have to use any symbols at all once you have it down. This is a sealing technique that's been passed down in our clan for at least … Umm … two generations. But our clan's members live for a long time, so that's still saying something."

"Now you're talking!" Naruto said, his excitement rushing back in full force. "Come on, show me!"

"Alright," Yuiko chuckled, intertwining her fingers as she clasped her hands together. Something green suddenly crashed out from the ground around Naruto, the boy letting out a gasp as he found each of his limbs wrapped in glowing chains.

"Oh man, this is awesome!" he exclaimed, gleefully trying to free himself of the chains. "I can't even break them!"

"Well, _you_ probably could if you really tried," Yuiko said, pulling her hands apart. The chains shattered into green shards of chakra with a 'clink!' before fading away.

"So how do I do it?" Naruto asked, jogging up to her.

"Well, since you don't have the basics down yet, I'll need to help you get halfway," Yuiko said. "Take off your jacket so I can see your arms."

Naruto obliged, removing his jacket down to his short-sleeved mesh shirt. He held his arms out obediently, nearly bouncing in place. Yuiko wrapped her hand around his left wrist, raising up his arm. She put her left pointer finger on his bicep, lightly moving it across his skin.

"Hey, that tickles!" Naruto laughed, squirming slightly.

"Stay still, please," she said, concentrating on her work. As her finger moved down his arm, symbols appeared beneath it, shimmering in blue before fading to black.

Naruto did his best to keep his composure, watching the procedure with interest. When there were two rows of symbols running the length of his arm, Yuiko stopped to turn slightly and continued the same procedure down his right arm. Naruto was able to recognize what some of the symbols meant, but they looked like gibberish the way Yuiko had put them together. He looked back and forth between both arms, noticing something as Yuiko worked. "You're not putting them in the same order as my left arm," he said.

"You're right-hand dominant," Yuiko said frankly. "Adamantine chains can technically be emitted from any part of your body, but the hands are the easiest to get used to. I'm putting on a seal that's going to help you shape the chains as you push chakra through your palms. It's sort of like a mold."

Naruto grinned excitedly, watching her finish up. "So when you did that before, where were yours coming from?"

"The bottom of my feet," Yuiko said, drawing the final symbol. "I like to tunnel them underground when I'm trying to surprise someone. It's effective for immobilization, and leaves my hands free at the same time."

Yuiko released Naruto's wrist, straightening up. "OK, you're all set. I want you to raise your arms up straight in front of you, palms out. Yes, that's good. Now, when you push your chakra through your arms, it's going to be something like a reaching sensation, as if there's something you want _just_ out of reach and you're stretching yourself out to get it. It's a little like when you're pushing your chakra out to keep your grip on a surface; but try to focus your attention more toward the center of your palms rather than your entire hand."

Naruto's face twisted in concentration, his arms shaking slightly from the effort. Yuiko stood silently beside him, occasionally leaning over to look at his palms. Suddenly, Naruto let out a shout, a glowing blue U-shaped object shooting from his right hand. The object flew straight ahead before veering to the left and arcing about the clearing. Naruto and Yuiko watched it in awe, their expressions changing to a grimace as the object flew back toward them. They leapt apart, the object lodging itself firmly in the grass where they once stood.

The two approached the blue item cautiously, Yuiko leaning in closer to get a better look. She laughed, reaching out to pull it from the ground.

The object seemed to be three-quarters of a large chain link, about double the length of Yuiko's hand. It was glowing like hers had been, but instead of a steady color, it seemed to swirl in choppy waves.

"This is what happens when you go a little overboard on the shape transformation of your chakra," Yuiko smirked, handing the link to Naruto. "It's kind of funny; this never even crossed my mind. You were subconsciously pooling chakra into your palm in the same fashion as you do to form the rasengan. I think you knowing that jutsu might make learning this technique a bit harder for you."

"What? Really?" Naruto groaned, looking down at the link in frustration. "But the rasengan uses a lot of chakra control! I should be really good at that!"

"You are!" Yuiko said, trying to keep him from being discouraged. "It's really impressive! There's a reason only a few people can do it. Erm … Let's see … When Minato showed me the rasengan, I think he said something about the chakra flowing a bunch of different ways at one time. Something like that would break the integrity of the chain and keep it from forming right, I think. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, I think so," Naruto said, watching as the link finally broke apart in a puff of air. "Who's Minato? Does this guy know how to do the rasengan too?"

Yuiko froze, staring at Naruto. Naruto frowned, watching her with a puzzled expression.

"Jiraiya never told you?" Yuiko said in disbelief.

"Told me what? Is there something I don't know about the rasengan?"

 _It can't be,_ Yuiko thought. _That old rule about keeping his heritage a secret, it can't possibly still be in effect. That was just to protect him when he was young; there is no way no one told him._

"You really don't know who Minato is?" Yuiko asked hesitantly.

"Aw come on, are you going to quiz me on this or somethin'?" Naruto said, narrowing his eyes as he put his arms behind his head.

"Let's go home," Yuiko said suddenly, walking over to pick up Naruto's jacket.

"What? Can't I try again with the chain?" Naruto said, whipping about. "I wasn't _that_ bad, right?"

"No, it's not that," Yuiko said, walking back to him. "I just want to talk to you about something, and I don't really want to do it here."

"Uh, OK," Naruto said, taking his jacket from her outstretched hand. "But we're going to do this again sometime, right?"

"Of course," Yuiko nodded. "Who else am I going to teach clan jutsu to?"

"Clan jutsu, huh?" Naruto said, letting the idea roll around in his brain as he walked behind Yuiko. 'Clan stuff' had always been something he associated with people like Shikamaru and Hinata. In fact, most of the friends he saw on a regular basis were from one clan or another. Naruto had fantasized about being in a clan when he was younger, simply due to its association with belonging to a family. He hadn't really thought about it since becoming a genin, though. He had to admit, he liked the idea of being a part of one, no matter how small and broken it may be.

Naruto bumped into Yuiko's shoulder. He raised his eyes from the ground, blinking as he noticed her looking up into the trees. He followed her gaze, spotting Kakashi as he leapt toward them.

"Hey, Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto called out cheerfully. Kakashi didn't answer, coming to a stop above them. Yuiko still hadn't said anything, Naruto looking back and forth between the two.

"We've been summoned to see Lady Hokage," Kakashi said. Naruto felt Yuiko tense beside him. She must have been able to pick up on something he couldn't, since Kakashi didn't appear to be acting any differently than normal.

"What is it?" Yuiko asked, her voice sounding much flatter than it had a moment before.

"I don't know," Kakashi answered. Even Naruto could tell that was a lie.

"She sent me to get you two," Kakashi continued. "She's waiting for us, so let's get going."

Kakashi turned around, bounding back through the trees. Yuiko and Naruto followed, a feeling of unease growing in Naruto's stomach.


	36. Chapter 36

Yuiko gently closed the door behind her as they entered the Hokage's office. Tsunade sat sternly behind her desk, Shizune clutching a stack of papers at her side. Sakura and Sai were also present, along with more of the toads from Mount Myōboku. There had been two of the larger toads outside, one of them nearly as tall as the building they stood in. Jiraiya didn't have the need to summon any toads during their missions, but Yuiko had heard enough about them to assume that these were the toads he must have contracts with. Her stomach lurched, hoping she was jumping to conclusions about the state of the meeting. But the look on Tsunade's face wasn't making her feel any better.

"Is this Jiraiya-boy's student?" one of the toads asked. He sat near Tsunade's desk, Yuiko guessing that he couldn't have been much more than a foot tall. The toad looked ancient, with large, bushy eyebrows and a shock of white hair sprouting from his head.

 _I didn't even know toads could have hair,_ Yuiko thought.

"Yes, this is Naruto Uzumaki, the 'child of prophecy' you spoke of earlier," Tsunade replied.

' _Child of prophecy'? What is that about?_

"A geezer frog? What is he doing here?" Naruto said, sounding unimpressed as he peered down at the toad.

"Watch your mouth!" Tsunade snapped. "This is Fukasaku, one of the two sages of Mount Myōboku. He came all this way to speak with you."

"You are Jiraiya-boy's student, without a doubt," the toad said, amused.

"'Jiraiya-boy'? This frog talks like old Pervy-Sage is a kid or something! Who does he think he is?!" Naruto shouted.

"He is Lord Jiraiya's master," Shizune stated bluntly.

Naruto's mouth dropped open, the old toad laughing at his reaction. "'Pervy-Sage,' eh?" Fukasaku said. "That's a fitting nickname for Jiraiya-boy."

Naruto's shoulders slumped, a little deflated. "So, what did you want to see me for?"

The old toad exhaled, lowering his head. "I'm not sure where to begin," he said after a moment. "But I supposed the most important thing is that Jiraiya-boy has died in battle."

Yuiko's breath caught in her chest. She looked down at the floor, the voices around her growing muffled.

 _'You … How could you …'_

 _Jiraiya waved at her casually, turning his back to her as he disappeared into the shadows of the forest._

 _'How is this keeping your promise?'_

A hand rested on her shoulder, bringing her back to reality. She met Kakashi's gaze before looking over to see that the old toad had removed his cloak, revealing a code etched into his skin.

"We'll have to figure out what Jiraiya was trying to say," Tsunade remarked, referring to the code as the toad put his cloak back on.

 _A code from Jiraiya?_ Yuiko thought, her mind racing. The topic of codes or code breaking had never come up during any of their meetings.

 _But he was fairly proficient in seals,_ Yuiko thought. _Depending on the numerical values, maybe he_ _—_

"Did you let him go, Granny?" Naruto interjected, the room suddenly growing tense. Yuiko lost her train of thought, watching as Naruto regarded the Hokage with shaking fists and barred teeth.

Tsunade took a deep breath, calmly meeting his gaze. "That's correct," she said softly.

"Why would you send him to do something so reckless?!" Naruto shouted, pointing at her. "How could you send him to such a dangerous place alone?!"

Yuiko winced, feeling like she had been struck in the chest when he said 'alone.'

"That's enough, Naruto!" Kakashi said firmly, "Think about how Lady Hokage feels."

Naruto clenched his jaw, turning to leave. "If Pervy-Sage was the Hokage, he would have never let Granny Tsunade do something so risky."

Naruto shoved himself between Yuiko and Kakashi as he reached for the door. He left without a second glance, slamming it behind him.

.

* * *

.

"Naruto, I made some dinner if you're hungry," Yuiko said, tapping gently on Naruto's door. She waited, but was met with silence. She returned to the living room, pouring herself some tea and watching as the steam floated away. Yuiko regarded the cup, unmoving, as it went cold.

Yuiko looked up at the sound of a door opening. Naruto walked down the hall, avoiding eye contact. He opened the front door, closing it silently behind him. She stared at the door, waiting to see if he would return. Naruto had left still wearing his pajamas, so she hoped that his trip would be a short one.

After half an hour without his return, Yuiko wearily rose from her seat, collecting the dinnerware and cold food. She slowly cleared the dishes, and took care in wrapping up the food and putting everything away. When she was done, Yuiko positioned herself in the middle of the living room, leaping up and phasing onto the roof. She sat down heavily, regarding the stone faces etched into the mountain in the distance. She always felt that their stoic faces were a reflection of a wisdom an average person like her could never imagine; as if they were looking off into a distant future that only they could see.

 _Why him?_ She asked them.

The faces did not answer; the only thing she heard in reply was the crickets' cheerful song. She lost track of how long she sat there, her eyes running over every edge of their faces. Feeling tired of looking for answers that weren't there, she pulled her knees up to her chest, bringing her head down to rest on her legs.

"Yuiko? Are you up there?"

"Yeah," she said, quickly lifting her head. Naruto sprung up into view, landing gracefully next to her. He sat down, mimicking her position as he pulled his knees to his chest.

"How long have you been up here? You're going to catch a cold," he said, furrowing his brow.

"It's summer," Yuiko stated.

"I know that," he mumbled. Yuiko sighed, ruffling his hair. He slapped her hand away, making her smile.

"Sorry 'bout before," Naruto said softly. "I talked to Iruka-Sensei and …" He trailed off, uncomfortable. Yuiko shrugged, watching him for a moment before turning back toward the mountain.

"You're going to be up there one day, you know," she said, gesturing to the faces. "That's what a perverted spiky-haired birdie told me, anyway."

Naruto followed her gaze, his features attempting to twist into a look of determination. He sniffed, turning away from her to wipe his eyes on his sleeve. "I keep thinking it might get easier," he said as he turned back to her, "every time I lose someone close to me. That maybe I would get used to it, ya know? Is that what it will be like when I'm your age?"

Yuiko glanced at him in surprise for a moment before turning back to look at the stone faces. "I hope not," she replied. "I hope it hurts just as much every time someone precious to you is lost. The pain is a reminder of how much they meant to you. The first time I felt that pain, I wanted nothing more than to push it down, to make it go away. I don't enjoy it by any means, but I know that without it, I would grow cold."

She raised her hand, placing it firmly on her chest, "I can feel them here. Everyone who is precious to me, whether they are alive or not. I carry them with me, along with every emotion that they have ever made me feel. Including the pain of their loss. Because that is part of it; that is part of them."

Naruto mimicked her, putting his hand to his chest. He clenched his shirt in his fist, looking off into the distance.

 _I don't know about you being some 'child of prophecy,'_ Yuiko thought, watching him fondly, _but you meant a lot to Jiraiya, all the same._

"Did I tell you about the time I was at a party for Jiraiya's new book and I thought he was kidnapped by Iwa shinobi?" she asked.

Naruto turned back to her, wide-eyed. "No! What happened?"

"It started by Jiraiya tricking me into helping him with his book signing. He made that our cover, if you can believe it. And he made me disguise myself to look like we were related so he could still hit on ladies."

Naruto let out a barking laugh, hugging himself around the middle, "Yup! That's Pervy-Sage for ya!" There were tears in his eyes again, but he wiped them away in an afterthought.

"But I got him back," Yuiko smirked. "At the party I started telling everyone about how old he was. I might have gone a little too far, but I think it was worth it for the look on his face …"


	37. Chapter 37

Shikamaru Nara took a deep breath, reaching his finger out to the doorbell. He knew bothering Naruto at this time was going to be a drag, but he had run out of options when it came to finding leads to crack the code Master Jiraiya had left behind. Lady Tsunade had put him in charge of the case, personally, with decrypting the code being his highest priority. He had been hoping that Kakashi-Sensei would be able to decipher the message, but unfortunately he needed to move on to his next course of action when Kakashi came up empty. He rang the bell, waiting patiently. The door opened, and Yuiko regarded him cheerfully. "Oh, Shikamaru! It's been a while."

"Uh, yeah …" he said. Shikamaru didn't know Yuiko well; he found her a little unsettling, to be honest. The few times he would cross paths with her going to or from the Hokage's office, she tended to ask him about personal matters that she must have gathered from eavesdropping on him in public. Lady Tsunade seemed unconcerned about it, and when he tried to bring it up to Chōji and Ino over barbecue, Chōji ignored him over the food and Ino told him not to bother Yuiko since she regularly came in to buy herself flowers at the shop.

"Can I speak to Naruto for a minute?" he asked.

"Sure! You can join us for lunch, if you want," she said, opening the door fully for him.

"Thanks for the offer," he said as he entered the apartment, "but this isn't a social call."

"You don't have to make up an excuse, Shikamaru," Naruto said brightly from the table. "Yuiko's food looks weird, but it doesn't taste as terrible as it looks."

Shikamaru studied Naruto curiously.

 _I was expecting him to be a mess,_ he thought. _It's good to see him up and about._

He sat down at the table, pulling out a photograph of the code etched on Fukasaku's back. "This is actually why I'm here. I was hoping you could take a look at it." He handed the picture to Naruto, who studied it for a moment. "Well? Can you think of anything?" Shikamaru asked.

Naruto frowned, holding the picture up. "All of these are numbers, except for the katakana letter. Do you guys know what that's about?"

"Huh?" Shikamaru said, circling around the table to stand behind Naruto. "Where do you see that?"

"There," Naruto said, pointing to the first character in the sequence, "I thought it was a 9, but I think it might be the katakana letter 'ta'."

Shikamaru furrowed his brow in thought. "I guess you could look at it like that," he said, "but it could be a stretch. Master Jiraiya was under distress when he wrote this, so it could be unintentional."

"Maybe," Naruto replied. "He used to have me read his hand-written drafts when we traveled. It just looks like how he would write 'ta,' is all. It always used to get me confused, 'cus it looked like the number 9."

"A handwriting quirk, huh?" Shikamaru said, resting his hand on his chin.

"Maybe this will help," Yuiko said. She moved away some of the plates and placed a stack of books on the table. Shikamaru studied the titles; it appeared that they were all of Master Jiraiya's publications.

"There's always a paragraph or two in the back of his books telling the reader about him," she said, picking up a book with a green cover. "In the latest one they decided to print it using his handwriting, see?" She flipped the book open to the last page, turning it about for him to see.

Shikamaru took the book from her outstretched hand, scanning the page. His eyes narrowed when he spotted the 'ta' symbol, looking very much like a 9. He closed the book, looking at its cover, which read 'Make-Out Tactics'.

"This book also has that symbol on the cover," he mused. Yuiko and Naruto leaned in to study the cover.

"Yeah! It has the 'ta' symbol!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly.

"The only one of his books that begins with that symbol, too," a voice said from behind them. The group turned to see Kakashi coming in through the window, his own copy of 'Make-Out Tactics' in hand.

"I've been mulling over the code, so I decided to stop by when I heard that you hadn't returned to the cypher division, Shikamaru," Kakashi said. "I think I caught most of what you were talking about."

 _By creeping outside my window,_ Yuiko thought with mild annoyance.

"So, not counting the 'ta' character," Shikamaru said, "that leaves six numbers. I'll flip to the page in this book aligning with the first number, 31. I have a hunch that we're on the right track, since the 'ta' symbol is a clue that Master Jiraiya would know that Naruto would specifically recognize."

"Hmm, that might not work," Yuiko interrupted, concerned. "That's a special edition that Jiraiya had printed for the first 25 readers at his book signing in Iwagakure. He put in a special introduction, plus some additional content."

Kakashi's eye flashed as his gaze locked on the book in Shikamaru's hands. A chill ran up Shikamaru's spine at its intensity.

"When were you planning on telling me about this?" Kakashi asked. He spoke with the same level of concern as if he had just received crucial information regarding an S-Ranked mission.

Yuiko sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I got you a copy for your birthday," she said reluctantly. "Although I guess now I need to find something else, since it's no longer a surprise."

"Do you have a regular copy?" Shikamaru asked, warily looking away from Kakashi.

"Oh! Um …" Yuiko said, looking down at the stack of books before a thought hit her. "The copy you have should work!" she said, pointing to Kakashi.

"It should", Kakashi agreed, flipping his copy open. "Page 31 right? What now?"

"We'll start by writing down all of the characters on each page number matching the numbers in the code," Shikamaru replied as Naruto handed him a pen and sheets of paper from a nearby shelf. "What's the first sentence on page 31, Kakashi-Sensei?"

Kakashi froze, sweat dripping from his brow. "Uh, well, I mean … couldn't you just read it, Shikamaru?"

"This will be faster," Shikamaru answered. "Just read the page aloud and I'll give you the next page number when I'm done."

Kakashi stared at the book in his hand, his cheeks turning red.

"Come on, Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto said, his eyes narrowing in impatience. "You read that stuff all the time!"

Kakashi cleared his throat, lowering the book from his face. "This … is a bit different."

Yuiko hummed, looking over at Naruto. "Maybe you should go to your room; this might be inappropriate for children."

"No way!" Naruto yelled, balling his hands into fists. "If Shikamaru gets to hear the dirty stuff, than I do too!"

Shikamaru lowered his head, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose as he muttered something to himself in annoyance.

"Shikamaru is in a hurry, Kakashi," Yuiko quipped, using every ounce of her willpower to keep a straight face. She honestly thought she'd never live to see the day that Kakashi was actually embarrassed over something. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty over how much she was enjoying the shift from his usual demeanor.

Kakashi glanced at her, then back down to the page, his entire face, along with his ears, now turning a bright shade of pink. He cleared his throat again, the corner of his eye twitching. "I-I re-really … love … you," he choked out. His face mask had visibly become wet from the sheer amount of sweat dripping from his brow.

 _This can't be good for his health,_ Yuiko thought, her eyes narrowing as she watched Kakashi. _Maybe I should get him a glass of water before he passes out_. _But then I would have to turn my back to him, and I don't want to miss out on any of this. Guess he'll just have to power through._

—

"You know, I still owe you a request," Yuiko said.

"And?"

"And, you could have asked me to read the pages aloud for you."

Kakashi rolled over on the couch, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm … an idiot."

"Your words," Yuiko said, placing a glass of water down on the short table before him. She walked over and sat at the dining room table, putting her elbow on the table as she leaned her head into her hand. Shikamaru had long gone — retreating the second he had all the information he needed. Naruto had gone to his room to lie down, but unlike Kakashi — who seemed to be in some state of shock — his exhaustion was due to laughing so hard it gave him a headache.

"Sorry if Naruto made that a little difficult," Yuiko said. "I didn't think he'd get so riled up."

"He probably wouldn't have reacted that way at all if it wasn't for you," Kakashi said, an edge of bitterness to his voice as he sat upright. "He seemed fine until you started up."

"It was funny," Yuiko shrugged. Kakashi sighed, turning away slightly as he pulled off his mask to down the glass of water. Yuiko felt a pang of guilt from the aloof gesture.

"If it makes you feel any better," Yuiko said, trying to change the subject, "a representative from the cypher division dropped by while you were … incapacitated. It didn't take Shikamaru long to crack the code, and the message turned out to say, 'the real one isn't among them.' I had no idea what that meant, but I promised to ask you and Naruto when you two woke up."

Kakashi pulled his mask up, turning toward her. He stared at the empty glass for a moment before displaying a weak shrug. "No idea," he said. "Hopefully the intel division will be able to figure it out."

Yuiko nodded in concurrence, an awkward silence falling between them. She squirmed in her chair, her eyebrows rising when something caught her attention on the table. Yuiko snatched up the book, crossing the room and shoving it in Kakashi's face. "Here," she said sternly. "It's the special edition. You've … earned it."

"And all it cost was my dignity," Kakashi said dryly, taking the copy of 'Make-Out Tactics' from her hands.

"You read those things in public," Yuiko smirked. "You didn't have a lot to begin with."

As much as he wanted to be offended by the remark, Kakashi's excitement over the latest edition to his collection rose above all else as he studied the book's cover.

"Just make sure to finish the 'Sword-Crossed Lovers' first, OK?" Yuiko said, leaning down to his level. "I want to talk to you about the ending when I get back from my mission."

Kakashi hummed in acknowledgment, taking pleasure in the crinkling sound the book made as he opened it up for the first time.

Yuiko sighed, knowing that she was fighting a losing battle for Kakashi's attention. "I'll be leaving tomorrow," she said. "Try not to do anything foolish while I'm gone."

"I'm starting to doubt my ability to make that promise," Kakashi answered, turning the page.

.

* * *

.

"Permission to speak freely, Lady Hokage?"

Tsunade sighed, her chair protesting slightly as she leaned back. The Hokage's office was dimly lit, its only light source the scarce sunlight peeking through the clouds outside her window. Tsunade was using the low light, plus an ample amount of chakra, to keep her hangover at bay. She was starting to get the feeling, though, that this conversation would push that over the edge. "I'm probably going to regret this," Tsunade said, bringing her eyes up to meet her visitor's. "But go ahead."

"I feel that bringing her on this mission is irresponsible," Anko Mitarashi said, tossing the file she held onto the desk between them. "Why the hell do you want me to bring a jinchūriki to the heart of the Akatsuki? This recovery mission is difficult enough in its own right, but now I have to take special care of one of my own teammates?"

"Don't you always keep the wellbeing of your subordinates in mind when you're on a mission?" Tsunade said, matching Anko's tone.

"Not like this!" Anko exclaimed, both hands on the desk as she leaned toward Tsunade. "I work on teams where I can trust each and every member to look out for themselves. None of them need any sort of babysitting!"

"And you think Yuiko does?" Tsunade asked, her voice growing dangerously soft. Anko frowned, backing away slightly as she lifted her hands from the desk. She had let herself fly a little too far off the handle, and knew she had to reel things back in if she wanted to get her way.

"I think that she would be a liability," Anko said, crossing her arms over her chest. "That was why Yuiko wasn't assigned to accompany Master Jiraiya to Ame in the first place, right?"

 _Damn it._

The second those words left her mouth, Anko knew she had made a mistake. Tsunade's gaze immediately hardened, the fifth Hokage leaning forward threateningly in her chair. "You are correct," Tsunade said, her voice uncharacteristically calm. "Jiraiya made a very good argument as to why he didn't want Yuiko to accompany him on that mission. It was very logical, and although I didn't like the idea of sending him alone, I relented."

Tsunade fell silent, keeping her eyes locked on Anko, who squirmed uncomfortably under her gaze. "However," Tsunade continued, "considering the intel we have concerning where Jiraiya …"

Tsunade stopped again, this time briefly looking down at the floor. She quickly composed herself, returning her attention to Anko. "Considering the intel we have concerning where Jiraiya ended up, I believe Yuiko's abilities are the most suitable for the recovery."

Anko took a deep breath, mustering her courage to poke the lion again. "Lady Hokage," she said slowly, "It's possible that the Ame shinobi have already moved it. We also have quite a few shinobi who are talented in water-style jutsu, and I have made a list of possible replacements —"

"Yuiko …" Tsunade said, cutting Anko off, "is capable of staying underwater for nearly twice as long as our best water-style users. If we were in Kiri, maybe that would be a different story, but we're not. It's not a skill that comes up particularly often for us. Considering the risks involved, I'm only willing to allow one chance at this. For that reason, I have assigned you the shinobi who I feel will best be able to make this mission successful. Yes, things will be bad if you're caught, but that's how it is for every mission in enemy territory." Tsunade rose from her seat, placing both hands on the desk as she leaned closer to Anko. "So the bottom line is this: Don't get caught."

 _Damn, she's good_ , Anko admitted, both despising and admiring the look of contempt on the Hokage's face.

"As you wish, Lady Hokage," Anko said, giving a short bow before exiting the office.

Tsunade watched her go, scowling at the door as it gently shut behind Anko. Her scowl vanished the second the door closed, and she sat down heavily in her chair, turning it to face the window. She brought a finger to her mouth, gnawing slightly on the nail's edge as she gazed out over the village. Knowing that in a few short seconds the door would open again to herald Shizune's return, Tsunade allowed herself one rattling sob before she heard the familiar click of the handle.

* * *

A/N: It always kind of bothered me that Konoha just sort of ... left Jiraiya in Ame after he died. I mean, back in the wave ark Kakashi sort of made a big deal about how a shinobi's corpse could hold a lot of secrets, so why just leave him? You could argue that Tsunade wouldn't want to risk it, but you could also argue that Tsunade would be emotionally compromised enough to try to bring her friend home (which is what I'm going off of if you haven't noticed haha).

Anyway, I was thinking of revamping the summary for this story since the plot is getting further and further away from the initial arc. So you all will probably see that ... at some point, when I eventually think of something I don't hate haha. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to share!


	38. Chapter 38

"Take us down. We're a few miles out from the border, and we're going to be on foot from here," Anko said, studying the forest below.

The giant ink bird made its descent, spiraling down in wide circles before touching down in a grassy clearing. Anko, Yuiko, and Yamato hopped down, Sai staying put as the bird dissipated in a splatter of ink on the ground beneath him.

"We'll travel until 21:00, stopping just east of the border," Anko said, regarding her team. Yuiko and Yamato were clad in their Anbu gear, including their animal masks. Sai also wore a mask, although the creature it depicted was so plain that Anko couldn't make out what it was supposed to be. She had informed Sai that he didn't need the mask as they were leaving Konoha, but the boy happily replied that he didn't want to feel 'left out.' In the end, Anko was the one feeling out of place as she regarded the lifeless faces of those around her. "Keep an eye out for the border patrol," she said. "Lady Hokage has increased their numbers, so we have a good chance of running into one of them. If we don't happen to see anyone tonight, I'll break off briefly in the morning to collect the rest of our location detail. Let's move."

The group was gone in a flicker; they leapt through the branches, traveling nonstop for a few hours as the sun dipped below the tree line. Anko ordered them to stop, quickly checking their location on a map before directing them to the northwest. The group continued along the forest floor, Anko stopping them again when they came across a patchy clearing that appeared to be their destination. After a quick survey of the surrounding area, Anko gave the order to break and make camp. Yamato was quick to provide wood for a fire, and the group sat mostly in silence as they ate their rations. Anko's companions weren't especially lively to begin with, and a full day of travel with this being their first break for food only exacerbated that trait.

"Alright," Anko said, taking the last bite of her ration bar. "Sai, Yuiko, head to the lake just north of here to practice. Make sure you remove all traces of your ink."

Yuiko and Sai silently rose to their feet, immediately turning to leave the clearing. Anko watched them go, a dubious look on her face as they faded into the shadows. "How the hell do they not creep you out?" she said, turning back to the fire.

Yamato laughed. "I guess they don't know you very well," he said, regarding the forest around them. "Sai will take a little time. And even after that, the way he expresses his emotions is … different. As for Yuiko, she knows which side of the line you stand on."

Anko scrunched up her nose, turning away from Yamato. She derived her morality from a specific set of rules, some held more highly than others. Tied for the top spot were 'traitors to Konoha are scum' and 'uphold your comrades before all else'.

Anko had been fifteen years old when Noboru Takahashi was killed (or, more accurately, when she thought he was killed). She had been fast friends with the boy, whose charming wit meshed well with her rambunctious nature. Her crush on him came and went, Anko finding that their relationship was a lot more enjoyable when she dropped the bouts of jealousy that sprouted whenever she spotted Noboru with his arm around a new girl. After a while Anko figured that he was going to end up with Yuiko anyway, so there was no use in getting between that.

Yuiko followed Noboru like his shadow back then, so Anko saw her around quite often. The girl was funny in her own way, and acted as an inconspicuous accomplice when Anko pulled her pranks. Anko had been particularly proud of the time she spotted a group of her fellow classmates, transformed herself to look like the fourth Hokage, and cheerfully asked them to personally collect all the litter about the village. It happened to be Genma who spotted a few inconsistencies in her impression, and he started to call her out on it when Yuiko chided him on being disrespectful. Yuiko's insistence that the person standing in front of them was really Minato was enough to sway his opinion, and Anko's friends plastered fake smiles onto their faces as they went about doing what she'd asked. Anko recalled laughing so hard later that she could hardly breathe, Noboru joining in on her mirth while Yuiko smiled pleasantly beside them.

Everything had been going well until the day Noboru died. It had been hard enough already, dealing with the devastation from the Nine-Tails' attack scarcely a year before. The deaths of Anko's aunt and uncle in the attack hit her hard, and Noboru had helped keep Anko afloat during that time.

Anko nearly tore her house apart when she got the news of his death. What was worse, what made the anger inside her flow out in waves as she smashed bowls and tore apart the walls, was that it had been his friend. He'd died because Yuiko, his best friend, stabbed him in the back. He'd died because Anko, who had always thought she was pretty good at reading people, couldn't see what Yuiko really was. She had missed the evil festering beneath the girl's placid surface, and her friend had suffered because of it.

Over the years, Anko had been assigned on and off to squads following up leads on Yuiko. Every time, the tips were either fabricated, or Yuiko was quick enough to stay one step ahead when they got on her trail. Anko let her hatred fester, mustering an amount of patience that surprised even her. Someday, she was sure, she would face Yuiko again. And when that day came, she wouldn't give the traitor the satisfaction of seeing the pain behind Anko's eyes. No, Anko would finish her off well before that would even be possible.

The next time Anko saw Yuiko was on a sunny day outside a dango stand. She had just returned to Konoha from a month-long mission, and since the bars were still getting themselves set up, she decided to reward herself with a sweet treat. Anko cheerfully grabbed the two skewers presented to her, turning away and finally noticing the figure that approached her. Anko's dumplings fell to the dirt, her eyes locked on the violet ones looking back at her.

"Oh, that's right. I'm sure you remember Anko," Kakashi said pleasantly, tilting his head to the side as his eye crinkled in a smile. "She's the kind of person who makes a big impression."

Anko was frozen in place, for once at a loss for words. Yuiko looked at her sheepishly, her eyes darting between Anko's and the ground. She halfway stooped behind Kakashi, almost as if she were a child.

Something inside Anko clicked, and in a flash a kunai was in her hand, driving toward Yuiko's throat. Kakashi moved so fast it took Anko's brain a moment to catch up, but when it did she found his hand wrapped firmly around her outstretched wrist and his opposite forearm planted against her collarbone. He pushed her back with his forearm, twisting her wrist to break her grip on the kunai as she took a step back. The sudden silence around her pressed down on Anko, anger and frustration building up as she felt the eyes of everyone on the street burning into her.

"I think you need to check in with Lady Tsunade, Anko," Kakashi said coolly. He appeared as relaxed as before, but Anko knew better.

"I don't know what's happening," Anko spat, "but don't you dare tell me you're defending the person who murdered your friend, Kakashi!"

Kakashi didn't answer, watching her passively. At that moment, Anko noticed that Yuiko had disappeared. She couldn't spot her anywhere nearby, but she had a hunch that she hadn't gone far.

"Breaking the rules makes you trash, but betraying your friends makes you worse than trash, right?" Anko growled, stepping forward to put herself face-to-face with Kakashi. "Isn't that your thing? Or have you forgotten that too, just like you forgot about Noboru?"

Something flashed behind Kakashi's eye that caused Anko to step back. He hadn't moved an inch, but Anko could sense that she was on thin ice. She couldn't help but smirk from the satisfaction it gave her. She turned away, walking down the road toward the Hokage's tower.

After meeting with Tsunade, Anko admitted that the story the Hokage told her was plausible. However, Yuiko's word was the only proof that she was coerced into betraying the village all those years ago. Considering how close she was to Noboru back then, Anko had a hard time believing that was true. However, the Hokage's absolving of her crimes technically put Yuiko in the category of 'comrade,' and Anko had a duty to uphold her well-being along with everyone else in Konoha. Anko was an elite jōnin, and she'd be damned if anyone made her forget that.

"Anko?"

Anko blinked, having nearly forgotten that Yamato was there. He smiled at her, his eyes conveying a look of pity that made Anko prickle in irritation. "I understand where you're coming from," he said kindly. "I can't tell you how to feel, but I think you'd be happier if you gave her a chance."

"A bridge has to be built from both ends," Anko said lazily, leaning her chin into her palm. "You think Yuiko would give me a chance?"

Yamato chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, she isn't _particularly_ fond of you …"

"Then we'll just agree to hate each other; it makes things simple," Anko smirked, regarding Yamato from the corner of her eye.

Yamato frowned, staring back at her.

"Ugh, you're such a bleeding heart," Anko laughed. "It's disgusting."

—

"The answer is blue; always go for blue," Yuiko said, nodding her head in certainty.

"What flavor is 'blue'?"

"No idea, but it's the best one. If you ever have a choice between anything else and blue, you must _always_ pick blue."

Sai nodded vigorously, scribbling down notes in his notebook. "And what other things come in the flavor 'blue,' other than shaved ice?" he asked.

"Erm …" Yuiko scrunched her eyebrows, looking up into the night sky. Sai's drawing scroll lay rolled out between them, but the two had deviated from their given task at Sai's insistence that Yuiko tell him what festivals were like. There was one coming up in a few weeks, and when he had asked Naruto about them, he was simply told that they were fun when you went with friends. Sakura had given him a little more info, but insisted that he wait and see for himself.

Sai found that he rather liked asking Yuiko questions, since she gave him straight answers and seemed to know what the 'best' of any given thing was. She had already informed him of the best food — pork buns — although as she talked she ended up dividing 'best food' into a number of categories, such as 'best food when you feel like something salty,' 'best food when you're not really hungry but still want something to eat,' and 'best food that's easy to share.'

They had moved away from food momentarily to talk about the fireworks, but Yuiko quickly backpedaled into 'best food to eat while watching fireworks,' which was how the topic of shaved ice came up.

"I think there's some candy that's blue," Yuiko said, nodding her head. "The ones on the sticks that look like crystals."

"Does this category of 'blue' also include blue crab?" Sai asked, watching her intently.

"Hmm," Yuiko said, resting her chin in her hand in thought. "Sure, why not?"

"This is very helpful," Sai said, returning his attention to his notepad as his brush flew over the page.

"I'm glad," Yuiko smiled. "People don't ask me for my opinion much. Naruto asked me once what I thought of his jacket. I told him the orange was a bit overpowering, but it turned out he was just asking my opinion on how he patched a hole. He didn't like that."

Sai nodded in understanding. "Yes, I'm still working on studying Naruto's behavior. It's a little … overwhelming," he said, finishing up his notes.

"I'm glad you two are friends," Yuiko said, bringing her hands together. "You're a very nice boy."

"Thank you. I've been working on making my personality less off-putting," Sai said, closing his notebook. "I do still make people upset sometimes, but I'm coming to realize that may not be the worst thing. For example, many people don't think very highly of you, and you still seem quite happy."

"Y-yes," Yuiko chuckled, "I supposed that's so."

"Shikamaru, in particular, has made some complaints," Sai continued. "And there are a few jōnin who say —"

"Yeah, I get it!" Yuiko interjected, trying to keep her cheerful demeanor as she slammed her palm on the scroll. "Should we practice some more with the ink beasts?"

"Oh, no, I think it will work as we intended. That's why I changed the subject, since our main objective was completed."

"Great!" Yuiko said, getting to her feet. "Let's head back to camp."

—

"'Bout time," Anko said, watching Yuiko and Sai as they stepped out of the tree line. "You two better have it working perfectly for all the time it took you."

"I believe the results will be satisfactory," Yuiko said curtly, keeping her eyes lowered. Anko nodded, watching her companions take a seat around the fire.

"Alright," Anko said, "Yamato took first watch, so one of you can relieve him."

"I'll go," Yuiko said without hesitation, springing back up to her feet. She removed her mask from her shoulder, placing it over her face before bounding off into the night. Anko and Sai sat in silence, Anko eyeing Sai warily as the boy smiled at her with an expression that was a little _too_ pleasant. She sighed in relief when Yamato entered the clearing, removing his mask.

"Sai, you should get some sleep," he said, settling himself down. "You'll be on next watch."

"Of course," Sai said, taking out his notebook. "But I believe I may have said something to hurt Yuiko's feelings earlier, and I would like to ask you some questions so I can avoid doing so in the future."

"Sai," Yamato said, sounding tired, "you don't have to make a psychological profile of everyone you want to be friends with."

"But that would be unfair," Sai said, regarding Yamato sternly. "I already have one of everyone else I've met. If I wish to be her friend, I must treat her equally."

"Ooh, you got one of me?" Anko said, her interest piqued.

"Why yes," Sai said, turning a couple of pages. "I have —"

"No," Yamato interjected, reaching over to pluck the book from Sai's hands. "Trust me, you do not want to hear it."

"You're such a stick in the mud," Anko sighed, rolling her head back on her shoulders.

"Oh, because he uses wood-style?" Sai asked, a pleased expression on his face.

"Yeah, exactly that," Anko chuckled. Yamato shook his head, handing the book back to Sai.

"If you would like me to refrain from sharing Captain Anko's profile," Sai said, turning a few pages, "then please help me with filling out Yuiko's."

"One question," Yamato sighed, kneeling down to undo the ties on his bedroll.

Sai stared intently at his list to locate the question he felt would yield the greatest amount of data. After a few seconds, he nodded slightly as he made his selection. "Alright," Sai said, focusing on a question toward the bottom. "I have observed that you and Yuiko spend a lot of time together. Can you tell me the nature of your dates? Knowing what she likes to do in her free time would help me greatly with her profile."

Yamato froze, staring at his bedroll. Anko burst out laughing, not even caring in that moment if her voice traveled all the way to Amegakure. She doubled over, gasping for air between her bouts of amusement.

"That's not … the nature of our relationship," Yamato said, his face red in embarrassment.

"Yeah," Anko gasped. "Your captain here doesn't want to be struck dead by a bolt of lightning."

Yamato glared at her, causing Anko a new bout of giggles. Sai frowned as he looked between them. "Is this a turn of phrase I'm not aware of?" he asked.

"No, it would be pretty literal," Anko smirked. Anko may not have liked Yuiko, but that didn't mean she was unobservant.

"My feelings for Yuiko," Yamato quickly interjected, "are similar to my feelings for you, Sai. You both are comrades who are very dear to me."

"Oh," Sai said, his eyebrows rising. "Would I be allowed to ask another question, if it's related to you? One of the books Kakashi-Sensei gave me touches on polyamorous relationships, but this is the first time I've met someone with that inclination. Can you tell me about it? And I would also like to inform you that while I am flattered, I do not think of you in a romantic sense, Captain Yamato. I do thank you for your consideration, though."

"I'm going to sleep," Yamato mumbled, crawling into his bedroll as Anko burst into another round of laughter.

* * *

A/N: Oh Sai, you little oddball. Writing for you might help to fill the hole in my heart left behind from Jiraiya.


	39. Chapter 39

The group huddled in their cloaks as cold, damp air washed over them within the mist. Sai's ink bird glided along without a sound, tilting slightly to the side as they approached their target location on the northwest side of Ame. The group channeled chakra into their hands and feet to keep balance as the bird slowly circled to bring them to the edge of the cloud cover. Anko pulled out a pair of binoculars, pressing her stomach against the bird as she surveyed the scene below.

"Alright, we're dropping here!" Anko barked over the sound of rushing wind. She put the binoculars into a pocket of her robe and bound to her feet. Yuiko and Yamato also stood, reaching out to clasp each other's forearm. Anko joined the chain, grasping Yamato's free arm. The three looked down over the edge, Anko waiting as her targeted drop point drew near. "Camouflage, up!"

The light about the three shinobi twisted and folded until their forms nearly disappeared. There was a slight distortion around the edge of their figures, but the camouflage jutsu left them nearly undetectable by the human eye. They were still susceptible if they came across anyone with a dōjutsu, or someone with above-average sensory abilities, but they hoped their disguise would be enough to leave them undetected for a short time. Luckily, Amegakure currently wasn't living up to its reputation as being under a constant sheet of rain, so they wouldn't need to worry about a distortion in the raindrops giving them away.

"Now!" Anko said, the group tilting forward to fall head-first over the edge. The clouds parted, the frigid air cutting across their faces as the immense grey and black towers of Amegakure surrounded their vision. Anko gave Yamato's arm a tug, guiding their group toward an alleyway she had spotted from above. A few people milled about the streets, but for whatever reason this sector of the city seemed mostly abandoned. Many of the buildings looked dilapidated, with missing windows and rust stains bleeding over the edges. Amegakure had once been a prosperous town known for metal working before closing itself off from outside contact; it was possible that what they were seeing now were the forgotten remnants of that once-flourishing time. None of them had much time to dwell on that thought, however, as the ground drew rapidly closer.

A tree suddenly sprouted from the ground within the alleyway, its leafy branches expanding rapidly to form a canopy. Its branches let out a soft groan as they swayed toward the ground before quickly popping back into place.

The trunk's image warped slightly, the outline of a figure becoming visible as it reached out its hand. The branches folded inward like a closing umbrella, the trunk twisting and shrinking as it was sucked back into the earth. The alleyway grew still, the only visible creature within the vicinity being a pigeon that landed nearby to mill about, pecking around a pile of trash. After a few minutes passed, a hushed voice cut through the silence.

"I'm starting the clock now. We're going to stick with the plan to exit at the southern bridge. Remember — two hours."

There was a flicker in the light reflecting off a broken window of the building adjacent to the alleyway. The pigeon raised its head slightly, but went back to its business when it sensed no one nearby.

.

* * *

.

"Alright, this should do it," Yamato said, dropping his camouflage. Yuiko followed suit, Yamato watching as the side of the drainage pipe warped and vanished behind Yuiko's figure. They were both dressed in baggy grey pants tucked into black galoshes. Yamato sported a tight-fitting black shirt, grey cloak, and simple knapsack with a tackle box strapped to the top. Yuiko wore a much looser tan button-up shirt and a light green cloak. The clothes were designed for practicality in wet weather, and from the little intelligence Konoha was able to gather about Ame, it was the style of choice for the village's residents. The pair were grateful for that, since the layers made it easy to hide shinobi gear outside of a close inspection.

Yamato nodded at Yuiko, and the two made their way down the large metal pipe. They had flitted between the shadows of Ame's towers, stopping when they reached the northern shore of the lake surrounding the village. It hadn't taken them long to find one of the city's massive drainage pipes, which ran at a slight downward angle along the shore and into the water. Considering the amount of rain Ame normally received, it wasn't surprising that the pipes were more than large enough to fit two people.

The pair came to a stop as they reached the water's edge, Yamato shrugging off his knapsack. His eyes scanned the rusty grating along the tube's interior, and his right hand burst into a series of branches that wrapped around the grate's edge. With a grunt, he pulled his arm back, the grate breaking loose with a dull 'clang.' The two shinobi froze in place, straining their ears for the sound of approaching footsteps. When none came, Yamato gingerly lowered the grate below the water's surface. As the branches released the grate, they started to bend and twist into the shape of a small boat. Yamato released the boat from his grip with a slight 'snap' and started work on forming a set of oars.

Yuiko regarded the boat for a moment before getting to her knees and reaching into Yamato's knapsack. She dug around for a bit before pulling out a plain, brown box with a series of holes punched in the top. She opened the box, reaching in and gently lifting out a small, blue toad. She placed the toad on the ground before her, giving it three small pats on the head.

The toad's mouth gaped open in a grotesque manner, and a dark green object much larger than the toad itself was rapidly ejected onto the ground before it. The sage toad Fukasaku shook his head, blinking groggily as he rose to his feet.

"I hope the ride wasn't too unpleasant," Yuiko said, smiling down at the sage.

"No, no," Fukasaku said, shrugging off her concern as he scratched the white tuft of hair atop his head. "It was fine. Peaceful, actually. The longest I've been able to take a nap without interruption in a while. I take it we're here?"

"Yes, Great Toad Sage," Yamato said, turning back to regard him. "I've almost completed what we need. Yuiko will help you with your disguise."

"Very good," the toad said with a nod. "But please, Fukasaku is fine. The Great Toad Sage is my elder, and I'm not to be mistaken for that senile old kook."

"My apologies," Yamato chuckled, turning back to the fishing rods he was shaping.

Yuiko had been fiddling with the buttons on her shirt, undoing the last one to reveal the grey flak jacket underneath. A series of straps had been attached to the jacket, and Yuiko reached into the knapsack once again to pull out a curved, metallic object. "You'll be in this, Fukasaku," she said, pulling the sides of the object apart to create a mesh dome. Fukasaku eyed the object warily, picking the dome up and placing it over himself. He curled up slightly on the ground to cover himself completely. "It's a little cramped," he said, frowning as he looked up at her through the mesh.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Yuiko said sheepishly, picking up the dome. "It has to look convincing, and we figured it would be safer in case we have our possessions searched."

She placed one side of the dome against her stomach, clipping it to the straps along her flak jacket. Yuiko picked Fukasaku up, indicating to him where he could grip her jacket to stay in place. She closed the dome over him, fastened the last of the straps, and then pulled her shirt together. "The shirt should be somewhat opaque," Yuiko said as she buttoned her shirt. "But we moved one of the buttons farther down, and there should be a slight opening around the top of the dome, see? You should be able to look around just fine out of that."

"Hmm, clever," the toad said. Yuiko rose slowly to her feet; hopping up and down a few times, adjusting her posture, hand placement, and facial expressions. She took a short walk up and down the pipe, slowing her gait and leaning back slightly.

"Motherhood suits you," Yamato smirked as he pulled the reels for the fishing rods out of his pack.

"Shut up; it's hard," Yuiko said, her brows furrowed in concentration.

"I'll switch with you, if you want," Yamato said, loading his gear into the boat. "I went undercover for two weeks as —"

"— as the pregnant wife of an arms dealer while in Kiri," Yuiko finished. "You were so proud of your stupid waddle."

"I have it down pat," Yamato said proudly. "And you should straighten your legs out more when you walk."

Yuiko gave him an exasperated look as she strode past him, stepping into the boat. She got herself seated on one end, Yamato taking the other. Yamato checked the shore behind them once more before giving Yuiko a nod. They both raised their hands, flashing a series of signs before becoming enveloped in plumes of smoke. When it cleared, Yamato's appearance was that of a young man with slicked-back black hair, some light stubble, and sharp grey eyes. Yuiko looked somewhat plumper, with innocent green eyes and slightly curly auburn hair. The two gave each other a quick once over.

"Hey, mister 'undercover expert,'" Yuiko said, raising her left hand with a grin. She pointed to her ring finger, which had a simple golden band around it.

Yamato frowned, a wooden band quickly wrapping itself around the ring finger on his left hand. "Let's just hope we don't have to walk anywhere," he said, using one of the oars to push the boat away from the shore.

Yuiko shook her head, plastering a complacent smile on her face as they exited the pipe. A light fog danced over the lake, swirling around them with each stroke of the oars. "Please tell us when you see anything familiar, Fukasaku," Yamato said quietly, his voice stern.

Fukasaku grunted in acknowledgment, the three floating in near silence as they drifted along the shoreline. They didn't see any other boats, which gave Yamato the impression that most of the fishermen probably congregated on the southern end of the lake for one reason or another. The distant sounds of roaring steam and clanking metal that cut through the air every now and then informed him that they were beginning to enter Ame's industrial district, which was probably not the best place for fishing. It was good that they hadn't yet run into anyone else, but at the same time it made him feel like a sitting duck with their boat all alone along the shore.

"There! There!" Fukasaku suddenly cried as they rounded a large barrier. There was no shore here, the water meeting the edge of a tall concrete wall with a number of large drainage pipes in a row along the center. There were a few chunks of concrete and twisted pipes sticking up from the water, giving Yamato the impression that the barrier's structure may have at one point been much larger than what they were seeing. He cautiously rowed the boat toward the wall, navigating around chunks of debris.

"Here. I think it was … right here," Fukasaku said. His voice had grown soft, and Yamato's heart ached slightly from the pained inflection in the toad's voice.

Yuiko immediately looked up, turning her head about as she tried to spot movement along the top of the barrier. She swiftly pulled up her shirt, undoing the clasps along part of the dome. She helped Fukasaku out, moving him down beneath the folds of Yamato's cloak. Yuiko flattened the dome against herself, removing her cloak and pulling a scroll from her pocket.

"How long can you get it to last?" Yamato said, eyeing the scroll. Yuiko opened it up, the center showing a simple drawing of a fish. She put her palm over it, a ripple of blue light floating through the text. Fukasaku let out a soft yelp of surprise when the fish suddenly leapt from the scroll, landing in the water with a 'plop.'

"Between the waterproof ink and what I learned from Sai, hopefully close to ten minutes," Yuiko said, moving to the edge of the boat. Yuiko could stay under for much longer than ten minutes, but moving underwater was going to be a lot easier with the ink fish's help.

Yamato quickly scanned above them again before looking down at the ink fish floating passively in the water. It had grown slightly larger, now roughly the size of a small dog. It appeared that Sai had also drawn a handle onto its back, which Yuiko gripped tightly in one hand. "He said it should drag me down pretty fast," Yuiko said, reaching into her pocket. "Depending on how deep we go, the pressure might get too much for it and it will dissipate. Hopefully we won't have to deal with that."

"And the containment scroll?" Yamato asked, watching Yuiko pull a flashlight out of her pocket and place it between her teeth. Yuiko reached back into her pocket, pulling out a scroll that was attached securely to her pants with a piece of string. She gave it a tug before placing it back in her pocket.

"Remember to shoot up a cloud of steam if you need help," Yamato said, more for his own reassurance than anything.

"You got it, boss," Yuiko said as she took the flashlight from her mouth to click it on. She gave him a small nod as she tipped over the side of the boat. There was a slight ripple as the fish disappeared, Yuiko's body phasing seamlessly into the water. Yamato exhaled, picking up a fishing rod and doing his best to look busy as he strung wire through the reel.

—

"Hey, there's no fishing here!"

Yamato's head snapped up, his eyes scanning the wall above.

"This place is closed off," the voice shouted. Yamato brought his gaze downward, watching as two Ame shinobi materialized from the fog and strode toward him over the water.

"Oh, wow! I didn't know you guys could do that!" Yamato exclaimed, a look of awe on his face.

"Well, you learn something new every day, huh?" said the shinobi with a scar running across his jaw. "Including the fact that this place is off-limits to civilians."

"O-oh!" Yamato stuttered, quickly pulling in his line. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know! I've never been into fishing, really. My wife's father is, though, and man would it go a long way if I was able to bring back something larger than an ink brush. I thought I'd try my luck somewhere new, but you two have been the only things to come anywhere near this boat since I've been here!"

This elicited a chuckle from the two shinobi, the second of which adjusted his glasses as he came closer. "There's a pretty good spot just southeast of the shopping district," he said. "I've caught a couple fish over twenty pounds down there. I think some of the restaurants must be dumping their table scraps near there or something."

Yamato smiled, leaning his elbow casually on the side of the boat. "Alright, I'll give it try. I'm curious to see how large a fish can get surviving on a diet of half-eaten rice balls and taiyaki."

"Taiyaki?" said the shinobi with the glasses. "That would be like cannibalism for them, wouldn't it?"

"It just _looks_ like a fish," his companion said. "It's not actually —"

The two men disappeared below the water's surface in the blink of an eye, Yamato scrambling to look over the boat's edge. He watched as a series of bubbles rose to the surface, his eyes keen for any movement. After a moment, the bubbles stopped, and a form materialized in the dark water. Yuiko's head popped above the surface, taking in a deep breath. Her disguise was gone, and taking in the fact that she was wet, Yamato assumed that she'd had to deactivate her phase as well.

"Bring them up," Yamato said firmly. "They don't know what I look like; we'll leave them along the shore."

Yuiko gave him a curt nod, her body rising the rest of the way above the surface until she stood upon the water. She lifted her right hand, retracting the two glowing, green chains emitting from her palm. She had wrapped a chain around the ankle of each man, and their feet came into view as they neared the surface. Yamato stepped out of the boat, flipping the men upright and helping Yuiko drag them over to one of the larger concrete slabs. They put the two men down, Yamato looking them over with concern. "We need to wake them up," he said, "but …"

"I can shock their system remotely with a seal," Yuiko said, looking up at him. "You have paper on you, right?"

"Yeah," Yamato said, quickly reaching into a side pocket to pull out a few sheets of sealing paper. Yuiko took it from him, running through a few seals before pressing her palm against the paper. A blue light shimmered over its surface before fading to black text. "Put this on his chest," Yuiko said, motioning to the shinobi with glasses. Yamato took the paper from Yuiko's outreached hand, sticking on the seal as Yuiko created the next one. After both men had the seals, they retreated to the boat, quickly scooping up Fukasaku and their items.

"Did you find him?" Yamato asked, glancing at Yuiko briefly as he kicked a hole through the boat. Yuiko didn't answer for a moment, her expression blank as she watched the boat sink below the surface.

"Yuiko—"

"I did," she whispered. Yuiko dropped her head, a chunk of wet hair falling over her face.

Yamato reached out his hand, second guessing himself as he pulled it back.

"I'm glad," Fukasaku said from where he was perched on Yuiko's shoulder. "This is not a place Jiraiya-Boy deserves to be."

Yamato looked at them grimly before glancing back at the men they left on the small island behind them. "Come on, we need to be out of the vicinity when those two wake up." He started to run over the water, Yuiko following quickly on his heels. After they rounded the barrier, Yuiko released her seals, which, she hoped, shocked the two men into waking up and coughing up the water in their lungs. They continued to run over the water, Yamato changing direction when they came across another large drainage pipe. They darted into the pipe, Yamato holding up a hand as an indication for them to pause while they listened for movement. When they were only met with the soft sound of water lapping against the shore, they continued slowly up the pipe.

"I believe it is my time to go, unless you still require my help," Fukasaku whispered, looking down at Yuiko. Yuiko didn't answer. Yamato cleared his throat, looking over at the toad. "No, thank you," he said. "You should be able to leave now."

The toad nodded, shifting slightly.

"Wait," Yuiko said suddenly, coming to a stop. She pulled a scroll from her pocket, regarding it for a moment before handing it to the toad. "Technically, his will said he wanted to be cremated and have his ashes emptied in a women's hot spring," she said. The choking sound Yuiko made after that was probably meant to be a laugh, but her companions weren't entirely sure. Fukasaku took hold of the scroll, gingerly holding it to his chest like one would a child.

"But," Yuiko continued, fighting back the tightness in her throat. "I think he would be happy if he was able to rest near you all. Naruto can bring us by to visit."

The toad gave her a weak smile, placing his clammy hand atop her head. "Yes; Jiraiya-Boy would like that," he said kindly. "I'll have Ma cook you something special when you come to visit. Anyone will be welcome to see him, you have my word." Fukasaku raised his head, regarding Yamato. "Thank you both. And please send my thanks to the other members of your team, and to Lady Tsunade."

Yamato nodded, Fukasaku returning the gesture before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Yuiko was staring off into space, a forlorn look on her face. Yamato cleared his throat, catching her attention. "Put your disguise back on, please. I'll change my appearance just in case we run into the guards from earlier. We'll head for the southern bridge, as planned."

"Right," Yuiko said, flashing through the signs. She returned to the same look she had before, Yamato changing his appearance to that of an older man with greying hair and a neatly kept beard. They walked up the pipe, Yuiko using her phase to move them through the grate as they reached land. They made their way to the end of the pipe, Yamato heightening his senses to detect any nearby movement. There were some footfalls far off to his right, which he assumed were either the shinobi from earlier or their backup. He turned to Yuiko, motioning for her to follow. As they exited the pipe, they heard a distant 'pop' and looked up as a red flare shot into the sky. Yamato's blood ran cold.

 _Anko._


	40. Chapter 40

"Easy-peasy," Anko muttered to herself, moving on to the next support beam. After doing some poking around, Anko had come to the conclusion that causing one of the many abandoned towers in the vicinity to collapse would be the simplest way to cause a commotion. She had plenty of exploding tags on her, but since she had the time she decided to use her shadow snakes instead, her arm now a wriggling mass of snakes that pumped their corrosive venom into various support beams around the interior of the tower. The venom was slow-acting on metal, but in this case that was actually a benefit: The building should end up collapsing around the two hour mark, and the tower was in such disrepair that few would consider foul play if it were to come down. When all was said and done, her team would be able to walk out of Ame with no one any the wiser. That was what Anko thought, anyway, before she heard the distinct sound of a wheeze behind her.

Anko whipped about, her eyes darting over the empty building. She swiftly retracted her shadow snakes into her cloak, her arm returning to its normal appearance. "Hey, don't mind me!" she called out, putting a smile on her face. "Just inspecting the building for any safety hazards! I have my paperwork, if you want to see it."

"I doubt that," came the reply.

Anko kept her cheerful expression, but her eye twitched in annoyance as she still failed to spot her observer. "Look, I was supposed to meet the head of industrial development here today, but he hasn't shown up yet. Are you him? I've got a meeting in an hour that I really need to get to, so can we get this show on the road?"

There was no reply. Something glinted in her peripheral vision, Anko's eyes flicking up to the weak sunlight coming in through a clouded window. She caught the outline of a figure that quickly faded into the shadows.

 _Alright then. Waiting game it is._

"Look," Anko said, her expression becoming irritated. "My supervisor is going to ream my ass if I don't get this inspection done. Whoever you are, you can stick around if you want as long as you stay out of my way." Anko slowly started to turn around, stopping as a voice cried out.

"Don't move! Put your hands up!"

"Alright, alright," Anko mumbled, putting her hands in the air. She detected a shimmer about 20 feet above her, and a figure in an Ame rebreather suit appeared crouched on a beam.

"What village are you from?" the figure asked. "How did you get in? How did you find this place?"

Anko laughed. "Well, I'm from here. I also walked in through the door, and I found it by looking at a damn map."

The air all about Anko shimmered.

 _Well, shit._

At least two dozen more Ame shinobi materialized, all clad in rebreather suits. Most of them were crowded together on the beams crossing above her, while others stood a few feet back, hovering in the shadows. Anko's smile faltered. "Uh, wow, guys. Is this, like, a surprise party or something? It's not even my birthday!"

"We'll be less inclined to kill you if you cooperate," said the same voice as before. Anko locked her gaze on him (or the one she presumed to be him, since the rebreather made it hard to tell), figuring he was the leader of the outfit.

"I feel like doing my job is a pretty decent way of cooperating," Anko said darkly.

"Tell us how you found this place," the shinobi from before continued. "No one outside Lord Pain's command should be aware of it. If you tell me who informed you about the entrance, we'll be inclined to keep you prisoner instead of killing you."

 _Shit, shit, shit. Out of all the empty buildings, I HAD to pick one that's a hidden base or something for the Akatsuki. It's just my luck to stumble upon something like this when I'm not actually looking for it._

"Hey, look," Anko said, smiling meekly. "This is all just a misunderstanding. I had no idea this place was anything other than empty. You know what? I bet silly ol' me just picked out the wrong building on the map. How 'bout we go visit my supervisor and get this whole thing straightened out?"

The head shinobi let out a rasping sigh. He flashed a series of signs with one hand, causing the shinobi around him to reach into their side pouches, pulling out handfuls of black orbs. "You chose your fate," the head shinobi said. "We can still get plenty of information from a corpse."

With that, the shinobi let the orbs fly, the balls exploding into clouds of noxious gas as they struck the floor around Anko. The building filled up with purple smoke, and the Ame shinobi waited patiently above. Their rebreathers were designed to filter out most poisons; they would only need to wait a minute or two for this particular one to take effect.

Some of the shinobi on the banisters leapt down, and a small crowd made their way through the haze toward where Anko had been standing.

"Ooh, you boys are in trouble now," said a voice within the smoke.

"Wait, how is she—?" one of the men said, their concern suddenly elsewhere as a snake wrapped its jaws around his throat. He let out a guttural croak, but it was quickly drowned out by the screams of the man next to him, who felt a sharp bite to his calf. The floor beneath the Ame shinobi twisted and writhed, hundreds of beady, black eyes looking up at them. "What the … What the hell is this?" one of them rasped.

"You got it!" Anko quipped, still hidden within the poison cloud. The Ame shinobi tensed at the sound of her laughter as it rang throughout the building. "I would say comparing this to hell …" Anko said, her voice soft, "… is just about right."

A chorus of screams echoed throughout the building; some were due to the snakes, others from shinobi who suddenly found slashes in their suits and were succumbing to the poison, and the rest were from the entire building coming down on top of them. Anko was the type of lady who liked to have options.

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* * *

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Sai sat upon his ink bird, passively looking at the clouds ahead as his creation made slow circles about the perimeter of Amegakure. He remained mostly still, only moving to check the time every now and then on the small clock in his pocket. He was impressed by Yuiko's near-subconscious ability to tell how much time had passed between certain intervals, and he was working on fine-tuning his internal clock. He felt that it would make a good "party trick," as one of his books called it, and he greatly looked forward to impressing Naruto and Sakura with his new-found skill. He had just finished checking the time again, slightly irritated to see that only 22 minutes had passed when he had guessed 22 minutes and six seconds, when a ball of red light suddenly shot up through the clouds.

Sai jumped into action, directing his bird toward the flare. Upon reaching it, he guided the bird straight down, plunging through the clouds and between the towering buildings to the streets below. He slung the large scroll on his back over to his front, pulling it open with one hand while grabbing a brush from a pocket with the other. His hand flew over the paper and within seconds two large lion-like beasts leapt from the scroll. They descended below the ink bird, slamming down on the two Ame shinobi who had backed Anko into a narrow alleyway.

"Hello," Sai said pleasantly, looking down at Anko over the side of his bird.

"Good timing," Anko said, running up the side of a building before leaping up to land beside him. "Head toward the southern bridge; we'll try to pick up the others along the way," she said as the Ame shinobi below them caused the last of the two ink creatures to explode in a wave of black droplets.

Sai complied, the ink bird beating its massive wings as it rose into the air, shooting forward as the Ame shinobi tried to stick them with a wave of senbons. The bird dipped and rolled through the air, flying between the massive towers and dodging the tangle of pipes that spanned the buildings like unkempt vines.

The towers fell away as they flew over what seemed to be a marketplace, Anko noting that the citizens seemed to be in a general state of unrest. She assumed the panic was due in part to the collapsed tower, though it was possible that word had already spread from the few shinobi who escaped her onslaught. Her eyes drifted over the scene below, locking on to two figures standing still along the edge of a wide bridge that spanned the distance between Ame and the far shore.

"There!" Anko pointed, and the bird swooped down over the water. It glided just over the lake's surface, Anko looking up as the two figures dropped from the bridge above. Her remaining teammates landed lightly, and Sai directed them to a higher elevation as they cleared the village's edge and the towers began to shrink into the distance behind them.

"What happened?" Yamato asked, his eyes sweeping over Sai and Anko. He still had on his disguise, but his voice retained its normal tone.

"Nothing we couldn't handle," Anko said. "Were you successful?"

"Yes," Yamato replied curtly. "Yuiko had the idea of entrusting Master Jiraiya's remains to Fukasaku, so we don't have to worry about guarding them on our way back to Konoha."

Yuiko smiled meekly at Yamato. Relinquishing Jiraiya's remains hadn't originally been part of the plan, and she was grateful for his spin on the situation. Yamato met her gaze, returning the gesture.

"Fine with me," Anko said with a half-hearted shrug. "I ran in to some Ame shinobi, but if they were part of the Akatsuki they were only small fry. How 'bout you? Any sign of the Akatsuki?"

Yamato gave his head a quick shake. "No, I don't believe we ran in to them either. We got lucky."

"I'm not complaining," Anko said, turning her attention toward the front of the bird. "Sai, start heading northeast. I'll have you touch down once we cross the border and get closer to Kusagakure. In the meantime, send Lady Hokage a message letting her know we were successful, and experienced no casualties. I'm planning on passing through border point number 22 when we head back to the Land of Fire, so make sure to mention that."

Sai nodded, pulling out a scroll as the bird changed course. Yamato and Yuiko dismissed their disguises, and Yuiko adjusted her mask over her face.

"This'll be a long flight," Anko said, rolling her shoulder as she regarded them. "Fill me in on everything that happened."


	41. Chapter 41

The group touched down on a large, grassy plain late in the afternoon, but was confronted by Kusagakure shinobi much sooner than Anko had anticipated. They were a few hours' run from the border to the Land of Fire, so it took nearly an entire day for information to be exchanged confirming their identities and for Kusa to coordinate a team to escort them to the border. Luckily, the Kusa shinobi were a fairly orderly and diplomatic bunch, so boredom was the worst thing their team suffered while they waited.

Once everything was put in place, they were finally able to set off. After reaching the border, their group was handed off to the Konoha patrol who asked them to check in with an outpost half a day's run to the southeast. Their team was in good shape, and if Konoha had received their message by now, it was possible they would be assigned another mission if there was anything requiring their skills in the vicinity.

They reached the outpost late that evening, Anko pleasantly surprised to see that her friend Tokuma was among the shinobi stationed there. After a few pleasantries, the Hyūga informed them that they hadn't yet received an order from Konoha, but he suggested that the group wait until the following morning for the daily report to be sure. Tokuma gladly showed them the entrance to the outpost, which was hidden underneath some underbrush at the base of a large tree. The underground outpost had been designed to comfortably hold up to a dozen people, but at the moment only two shinobi were stationed there, so there was plenty of room for the group to wander about the canteen, meeting area, and barracks. It was even outfitted with a small generator for hot showers, which Yamato utilized the moment they were settled in.

After getting changed, Yamato passed by a sleeping Anko in the barracks, and spotted Sai sketching in his notebook in the meeting area. Sai was unsure where Yuiko had gone, but Yamato was given a general direction when he went above ground to check with Tokuma.

"Don't worry, she hasn't gone far," Tokuma said pleasantly. He tapped his temple near his eye, "I've been checking on her every now and then."

Yamato gave him his thanks, bounding off in the direction Tokuma had indicated. He found Yuiko sitting atop an outcrop of grey rocks that sloped down to form one of the sides of the sweeping valley below. It was a nice view, but considering Yuiko had her knees pulled up to her chest, and her arms wrapped over her bent head, she didn't seem to be taking it in.

"Are you alright?" Yamato asked, sitting down beside her. Yuiko didn't answer, and Yamato waited patiently for her to collect her thoughts. Dragging information out of her could be tedious sometimes, but Yamato knew what it was like to have trouble expressing emotions. It was something he himself only started learning around the time he met Kakashi and left Root all those years ago. That empathy was part of what drew him to Yuiko in the first place, and he had unofficially assigned himself to be Yuiko's role model in the same way that Kakashi was his. It was a little comical, since he was a few years her junior, but he knew what it was like to be raised as a tool and suddenly thrust into the daunting situation of navigating an entirely new social structure. Yuiko may have been older than he was, but he certainly had a few more years under his belt in that regard.

"He was an asshole," Yuiko finally mumbled.

"I'd say that's a bit disrespectful," Yamato replied. "But I guess you knew him better than I did."

"And he was a pig," Yuiko continued.

Yamato made a humming sound, not wishing to denigrate the dead. He was well aware of the rumors, though, so he didn't have a valid argument against that statement.

"And he was an idiot!" Yuiko shouted, her head snapping up as she looked at Yamato fiercely. Yamato grimaced, recoiling from her outburst.

"I ended up going to Ame either way!" she yelled, her voice rising. "And I had to see him!" The anger drained from her face, Yuiko's violet eyes contrasting starkly against the pallor of her skin.

Yuiko took a deep breath, burying her head into her arms. Yamato cleared his throat, patting her back gently. "Master Jiraiya did what he believed was right," he said. "Things may have gone differently if you were there, but not necessarily for the better. I think he made the right decision, considering the information he was working with at the time."

Yuiko didn't answer. Yamato withdrew his arm as the silence stretched on. He looked out over the valley, watching the fireflies as they floated in lazy circles and blinked in and out of sight.

"It made it more real," Yuiko finally whispered. "It hurt when I heard the news back in Konoha, but I was able to remember him for how he was. Seeing him like that under the water … he had these giant, black rods sticking out all over his body. It made me so angry … I undid my phase so I could pull them out ... He didn't deserve that; he didn't deserve to be alone."

Yamato bowed his head and exhaled deeply. "No, he didn't," he said, looking at her. "But at least now he isn't alone. At least now he will be surrounded by those who care about him. And I'm sure he doesn't want you to remember him by what you saw in Amegakure. Although he probably doesn't want you to remember him as an asshole pig, either."

Yuiko lifted her arm, giving Yamato a shove. He chuckled quietly, reestablishing his sitting position. She kept her head down, and the two of them sat like that for a while — long enough that Yamato wondered if she had drifted off to sleep. Yuiko disproved that notion, suddenly raising her head and lifting herself to her feet. "Let's get a drink when we get back home," Yuiko said sternly.

"Huh?" Yamato muttered, watching her with concern.

"He always asked me to get a drink, and I never would," Yuiko said.

Yamato nodded in understanding, rising to his feet. "Yes, that would be fine."

"Plus, I'm keeping you up," Yuiko added. "Let's head back if you're not going to leave me alone."

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* * *

.

A hawk came early the next morning, bearing a message addressed to Anko with the news that they were, in fact, being assigned a new mission. Anko read the scroll intently, the rest of her team gathered around her at the table in the meeting hall. A smirk grew on her lips, and with a satisfied nod she rolled the small scroll back up, which promptly burst into flames and crumpled to ashes in her fingers. "We've been reassigned for a tracking mission," she said, looking about the group. "Our target is Kabuto Yakushi."

Yuiko's attention, which was normally fixed on the ground when Anko spoke, flicked up to meet her gaze. Anko was pleased to see her interested, although she misinterpreted the motivation behind the gesture.

"Our patrol guys around border point 20 found an unusual-looking snake skin," Anko said, "and considering how Kabuto was looking around the time Yamato here saw him, odds are pretty good that it's him. We'll resupply here and leave behind any unneeded gear from the last mission. Be ready to depart in 30 minutes."

.

* * *

.

Yuiko walked alone in the forest, her heart beating in her chest. An hour ago, Anko had selected a central point for their search, and the four of them each took a different direction to find any clues leading to Kabuto. Orochimaru may have been gone, but Anko was still dead set on apprehending Kabuto if she could. "He's making sure his twisted legacy lives on," Anko had said bitterly. "I'm sure as hell not going to let that happen."

Guilt gnawed at Yuiko's stomach. She knew that if he was out here, she had to get to him first. She had faith in the abilities of her companions, but if Kabuto could slither out of their grip, then he very well may go back on their agreement. The Akatsuki learning that she, too, resided in Konoha could very well push them to take more extreme measures — and she certainly didn't want to know what that could mean. She was honestly feeling more anxious now than the entire time she had been in Amegakure.

Yuiko froze at the sound of movement. A cloaked figure emerged from the brush, steadily heading toward her.

"Ah, Miss Yuiko," Kabuto hissed, coming into the sunlight. Yuiko could see that his appearance was now almost identical to Orochimaru's. His skin was pale white, with scales visible along his cheeks. His eyes had turned a sickly yellow, and were framed by purple markings. He wore a red cloak with eyes embroidered on each side of the hood to make it appear as if he was being consumed by a giant snake.

"I hope you've been doing well," he said. "My condolences for Master Jiraiya — it seems that he followed up on my information concerning the location of the Akatsuki's leader. He may have gotten a little ahead of himself going alone, though. Wouldn't you agree?"

Yuiko whipped out a scroll, flinging it open. "Wood style: Four-pillar prison!"

She slammed the scroll to the ground, causing large, wooden pillars to shoot up around Kabuto. The pillars formed into four walls of bars, just large enough to hold him. Yuiko straightened, catching her breath.

"Well, this is a little embarrassing for you, isn't it?" Kabuto said smugly.

"Last time I looked, you were the one in a cage," she replied. He smirked, his body suddenly breaking apart into a mass of coiling snakes. The snakes slithered out from between the bars, forming together into a solid mass outside the prison. Within seconds, Kabuto stood before her, no worse for wear.

"Things have changed since we last met — thanks to you, in part," he said. "Although it may be adding insult to injury, I would also like to inform you that I'm only a clone to begin with."

"Tsh," Yuiko grunted.

 _I should have taken my chances back_ then, she thought. _I was an idiot to let him intimidate me._

"Now that you've got that out of your system," Kabuto smirked, "your comrade Sai is headed in the direction of my real self. I need you to stop him. Use your radio to tell the others that you've found me. Oh, and take off that mask. I rather like seeing the disdain in your eyes."

Yuiko stared at him, unmoving. His smile widened. "Remember our bargain, Miss Yuiko. I think keeping you hidden from the Akatsuki is a lot more valuable than capturing me, don't you agree?"

Yuiko brought her hand to her right ear, pressing a button above her temple. "I've found his trail. He's close." She removed her mask, letting her hand drop limply to the side.

"I'm grateful for your help, Miss Yuiko," Kabuto gloated. "So grateful, in fact, that I'll actually trade you a valuable piece of information that I have in the last few minutes we can share together. But to get that information, you'll need to answer my question before our time runs out. So tell me — your friend Yamato, I can assume that the only reason he's out here is because Naruto must be being held somewhere safe. Otherwise the two of them can be found together whenever Naruto leaves the village, correct?"

Yuiko studied his face, trying to assess his goal.

 _Why would he care where Yamato is? What could it matter?_

"Tick tock, Miss Yuiko," Kabuto said playfully.

"Yes," she said, reluctant. "Yamato is usually assigned to Naruto when he leaves the village. I've heard that you've witnessed his sealing abilities yourself. Anyone could make that assumption."

"You're right, just about anyone could. I just needed to confirm my theory," he said. "And to hold up my end of the bargain, a little piece of advice: Steer clear of Konoha if you want to remain hidden from the Akatsuki."

"What are you talking about?" she said, alarmed.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find out. And my guess is that you won't heed my advice. But don't say I never tried to help you, Miss Yuiko."

Kabuto dissolved into a heap of snakes, all slithering in different directions into the undergrowth. Yuiko watched them go, a scowl growing on her face.

Someone suddenly cried out, Yuiko whipping her head toward the sound. She put her mask back on, sprinting through the trees. She found Yamato and Sai in a clearing, Yamato kneeling on the ground as he stared at his palm, which appeared to be steaming.

"Yuiko, where's Kabuto?" Anko barked as she entered the clearing.

"He … got away. It was only a clone," Yuiko said, taking off her mask as she regarded Yamato.

"What is it, Captain Yamato?" Sai asked, leaning over to study the man's palm. Yamato looked up, his almond eyes large in panic as he locked eyes with Yuiko. "It's Naruto," he said, "he's undone the sixth seal."

Yamato raised his palm, revealing the symbol for 'six' branded in his flesh. Yuiko had nearly forgotten about placing that seal on him; it had been back when Kakashi was still in the hospital. The seal was designed to resonate with Naruto's eight trigrams seal, allowing Yamato to know immediately if Naruto lost control of the Nine-Tails. She had hoped it would never be needed.

Yuiko's blood ran cold. "What? How? What could have —?"

' _... and for you, a little piece of advice: Steer clear of Konoha if you want to remain hidden from the Akatsuki.'_

Kabuto's words rang in her head.

 _No,_ she thought. _They couldn't take on the entire village. But if Naruto's using six tails, it means that he's totally lost control. Could they really be so strong to push him so far?_

"Yuiko!" Yamato snapped. Yuiko gasped, coming back to reality.

"We need to go," Yamato said firmly, getting to his feet. "I may need your help getting the Nine-Tails back under Naruto's control. Let's return to the village." Yamato dashed out of the clearing, disappearing into the forest without waiting for her reply.

"The Nine-Tails?!" Anko exclaimed, staring after him. "What's going on?"

"Hopefully something we can handle," Yuiko said sternly. "We'll come back once it's under control."

The sound of Anko's reply fell behind her as Yuiko rushed after Yamato. She wished she could have asked Sai to fly them, but leaving Anko behind with Kabuto skulking around wouldn't be a good idea. It was possible Anko may decide to abandon the mission, and in that case she and Sai could find them easily from the air anyway.

Yuiko flew through the trees, her heart racing. Kabuto's words kept tumbling through her head, and she was having trouble pushing them back down.

 _The Akatsuki could never attack the village,_ she thought, trying to stay calm. _Whatever is happening, it can't be them. Jiraiya alone gave them plenty of trouble, and we have a lot of powerful shinobi._

Something turned over in her stomach, Yuiko gritting her teeth.

 _Naruto, everyone, please be alright._


	42. Chapter 42

Yuiko kept her eyes locked on the eddy symbol bobbing up and down on Yamato's jacket as they leapt through the trees.

 _Where is the village patrol?_

She shook her head, once again bringing her attention back to Yamato's retreating form.

 _We're not supposed to be back yet. Someone should have stopped us by now._

Yuiko closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She opened them again, finding that the red eddy symbol on Yamato's jacket was now much closer than before.

Yuiko phased through Yamato to avoid a collision, catching herself on a tree branch a few feet ahead of where he stopped. Yamato didn't seem to notice, his attention locked on his shaking palm. "All nine tails," he muttered, as if to himself. "How? How did this happen?"

Yuiko hopped over the branches, landing beside him. She regarded the emblem on his palm, the 'nine' symbol steaming on his flesh.

There was another time she was standing in a forest while the Nine-Tails wreaked havoc on the village. She remembered finding Kushina afterwards, her body nearly torn in two.

 _Naruto._

Yuiko gently placed her hand over Yamato's palm. A blue light shone from between her fingers, the steam rising from Yamato's hand dissipating. She pulled back her hand, the emblem now gone. "There is another failsafe," Yuiko said softly. Yamato's eyes snapped up to hers, watching her sternly. "I'm not sure if it will work," she continued. "We should get going."

Yamato studied her for a moment before giving her a quick nod. He leapt away, Yuiko following him as they continued through the trees.

 _I believe in you, Minato,_ she thought, placing her hand on her chest, _I believe in you too, Naruto._

—

At one point on their journey the trees simply … stopped. They knew they were still headed in the right direction since the Hokage monument was visible ahead, but everything before that was just a long stretch of rocky earth.

After a few more minutes of running, the two of them arrived in the village — or rather, where the village once was. Yuiko covered her mouth in shock, regarding the crater filled with rubble that had been her home. Unsure of what to do, she looked over to Yamato, who stood beside her with his mouth agape.

Yamato quickly composed himself, his eyes scanning the destruction. "We should try to find him," he uttered. Yuiko nodded, hesitantly turning her head away from him to regard the devastation.

"Call me on the radio if you find out where he is," Yamato said, leaping down the side of the crater. Yuiko took off in the opposite direction, trying to ignore the heaps of bodies, shinobi and civilians alike, strewn about the destruction.

 _How is this possible?_ She thought, fighting back a wave of nausea. _Was this really the Akatsuki? How can they be this strong?_

Yuiko stopped to question every survivor she crossed, occasionally pitching in to help unearth someone trapped beneath a support beam or a slab of concrete. Everyone she spoke to answered the same: Naruto seemed to have left, but they weren't sure where.

Finally, she came across a man with a broken leg who heard rumors of the Nine-Tails heading east, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. With that in mind, Yuiko ran to the top of the closest side of the crater, spotting what seemed to be a large trail of upturned earth in the distance. She and Yamato had approached from the west, so they had been too far to notice the trail of destroyed earth leading away from the village in the east. She slid down the slope, heading toward it. She considered calling Yamato, but decided to wait until she got a closer look.

As she ran, something red caught her eye among what was left of the marketplace. A man dressed in red armor with long, brown hair sat cross-legged on the ground. He looked up as she approached, tears streaming down his face over a swirl-like pattern on his cheeks.

"Chōji!" Yuiko called out, approaching him.

 _He's a friend of Naruto's,_ she thought. _Maybe he saw him._

"Are you alright?" she asked, kneeling beside him.

"Ye-yeah," he responded shakily. "I-I'm sorry, I don't remember your name."

"It's Yuiko," she said kindly. "Chōji, I'm looking for Naruto. I think he headed east, but it would help me if I could get a confirmation from someone who actually saw it."

Chōji sniffled, shaking his head. "I saw a bright light, but nothing more than that. I've just been here. It didn't feel right ... leaving him alone."

"Leaving who alone, Chōji?" Yuiko said, reassuringly squeezing his shoulder. "There are a few medical nin spread around if there's someone who needs help."

Chōji slowly shook his head, dropping his eyes to the ground. "I know it doesn't … it doesn't matter that I stay here," he said between gasps. "But Kakashi-Sensei saved me and I just … I just couldn't leave him all alone." The fingers gripping Chōji's shoulder twitched, causing him to raise his eyes.

"Where?" Yuiko said, Chōji shifting uncomfortably from the intensity of her stare.

Chōji turned slightly to point over his shoulder, Yuiko following the direction of his finger to spot the lower half of a figure lying motionless around some rubble.

Yuiko scrambled to her feet, sliding over the wreckage as she crossed the distance toward the figure. She skidded to a stop after rounding a large piece of rubble, her chest rapidly rising and falling as she stared down at Kakashi.

Kakashi had his eyes closed; a smear of blood caked across his face. His headband had fallen off at some point, and it looked like he was simply taking a nap after a hard training session.

"Kakashi?" Yuiko said hesitantly, dropping to her knees beside him. She gently placed her hand behind his head, lifting him into a sitting position while she put her ear to his chest. Yuiko listened intently, but the only heartbeat she could hear was her own banging in her ears. Disbelief and panic started to wash over her as she lifted her head up, staring at his face. She placed her fingers on his neck to feel for a pulse. Even through the mask, Kakashi's skin felt like ice. Yuiko winced, pulling her hand back from the shock. A million thoughts began to tumble through her mind, but she was having trouble grasping on to any of them. Yuiko slowly brought her forehead to his, unsure of what else to do.

The tears appeared before she realized it, and Yuiko watched as they fell down onto Kakashi's cheeks and over his face mask. She wiped her hand across his cheek in a hasty attempt to clean his face, but she only managed to smear the blood around as her hand shook. "I told you," Yuiko said, her voice almost accusatory. "I told you not to do anything stupid."

Yuiko looked down at Kakashi, waiting for a rebuttal that didn't come. A strained whimper escaped her lips as she slowly shook her head. "You can't," she whispered. "You can't die ... You borrowed one of my books, and you need to tell me if you liked the ending."

 _'Just make sure to finish the 'Sword-Crossed Lovers' first, OK?' Yuiko said, leaning down to put her face level with Kakashi's. Kakashi nodded in acknowledgement, a look of delight dancing behind his eye as he regarded the special edition copy of Make-Out Tactics in his hand. Yuiko smiled, a warm feeling growing in her chest._

Yuiko shuddered from the memory, squeezing her eyes closed. "Rika chose to marry the samurai Eiji in the last chapter instead of his brother, Kei. I didn't think Eiji deserved her, but I know you said you admired him for his values."

Yuiko's breath rattled in a choppy inhale. "Guy was going to throw you a surprise party for your birthday. He wanted me to bake you a cake. I'm not very good at making cakes, so I was going to ask Sakura to help me. I know that you don't like things like that, parties or cakes, but stopping Guy after he has an idea like that is impossible. I think you would still enjoy yourself, even if you would never admit it."

She paused, rocking the two of them back and forth.

 _'He's Naruto,' Kakashi said, looking up at the stars. 'He won't give up, no matter what odds are stacked against him. I know that doesn't sound like much, but trust me on this one.'_

"Naruto … asked me something funny the other … the other day. He asked ... he ... asked if I had ever seen your face. I didn't know what to say. He said that you … you always … you always hid it, even when you guys ate. I to- I told him no, I hadn't. I didn't want to spoil it for you. To play a prank on your students for … for so long … that's so weird. How did you even keep that up? I wanted ... to ask you …"

 _'Why are you reading that stupid thing?' a young Kakashi said, shooting her romance novel an exacerbated look._

Yuiko continued to rock back and forth, struggling to take deep breaths. "You want to hear … do you want to hear something funny?" Yuiko said, her voice hardly a whisper. "The only thing I could do for fun back when I was alone was … was read. And I just had to read whatever I could get. Those action novels were really pop- popular, so I read a bunch of those. They were mostly terrible; especially the ones you liked." Yuiko's rocking stopped. She moved her hand, gently cupping the side of Kakashi's face. "Sometimes … Sometimes I would read them out loud. I would read them out loud, and pretend that you were there to hear me." Yuiko put her head against Kakashi's chest, squeezing her eyes closed.

' _Alright!' Noboru yelled, punching his fist into the air. 'We're going to be team … err … what was your name again?'_

 _The masked boy standing before them tilted his head slightly to the side, his visible eye upturning in a smile._

' _It's Kakashi.'_

"No," Yuiko whispered. "Kakashi … Please …"

 _Please, don't leave me._

Yuiko's eyes snapped open, her vision growing blurry around the edges. Her skin began to tingle as a sharp pain grew in her chest.

" _Yuiko,"_ Kokuō said, the voice cutting through her subconscious. _"Something is happening. You need to stop this."_

Yuiko lowered her arms, gingerly laying Kakashi down. She slowly got to her feet, her head and shoulders slumped.

" _Yuiko!"_ Kokuō shouted, the voice growing muffled. _"Yuiko, answer me! This isn't —"_

Kokuō's voice faded away, a high-pitched ringing taking its place.

—

Chōji sniffed, lifting himself from the ground. He didn't know a lot about Yuiko, but he had spotted her hanging around Kakashi on occasion, so he figured that they were friends. He had decided to give her some privacy when she left without a word, but enough time had passed that he figured he should check on her.

Chōji turned around, cautiously making his way over the rubble. He sheepishly stepped around the debris, blinking in surprise when he only found Kakashi's body. He looked up, twisting his head about, but apparently Yuiko had vanished.


	43. Chapter 43

Kakashi groaned, shifting uncomfortably.

"Stay still, man. You already made it worse by moving before. Let me just finish," Noboru scolded. He held his hands to Kakashi's side, finishing up his work mending his rib cage. After a few minutes the green glow around his hands faded and he exhaled deeply, wiping his brow with his sleeve. "Alright, I think you're good."

Kakashi sat up, rubbing his side. The muscles were still sore, but it felt like his rib cage was fully intact. "Good job, Noboru," he said, rising to his feet. His eye swept over the forest clearing, no one else in sight. "Where is Yuiko?"

Noboru grimaced, looking away. Yuiko was in trouble for sure. She had directly gone against Kakashi's orders to retreat. But what bothered him even more was what had happened to her — how she had been enveloped in red chakra, her eyes turning a haunting shade of blue. How she looked at him as if she didn't know him.

Noboru had carried Yuiko away from where the skirmish took place, having taken great care to avoid the two shinobi she had killed rather gruesomely with her phasing jutsu. Whatever she did, it made her frighteningly powerful. Although it did seem to wear her out, since she stayed unconscious for over three hours.

Kakashi had walked on his own from the site where most of the combat took place, but collapsed as soon as they found a suitable spot to rest. While Noboru was attending to his wounds, Yuiko had regained consciousness. She studied them both for a moment, then wandered off into the woods without a word.

"Kakashi, what ... was that?" Noboru asked, uncertain. "What is she?"

Kakashi slowly turned his head to look down at Noboru, regarding him coolly. "I don't know what you're talking about," he replied nonchalantly, turning and walking off into the trees.

Noboru watched him go, a pained expression on his face.

—

Yuiko sat hugging her knees to her chest along a riverbank. Her hair was down, and wet, giving Kakashi the impression that she had come to wash the blood off herself. She had changed into her spare clothes, the original ensemble laying ripped and scorched beside her.

She didn't acknowledge Kakashi as he sat down next to her. They watched the water together for a moment, the sunlight glistening off it brightly, broken only by the 'plop!' of a fish leaping out of the water.

"I know what you're going to say," Yuiko said flatly.

"Oh?" Kakashi said, leaning back on his arms as he looked up at the sky.

"Yes," Yuiko huffed, peering at him from the corner of her eye. "You're going to tell me that I should have listened to you. That I should have retreated when you said so."

"Hmm, yes, that sounds like me," he replied.

"But," she said, clenching her fists, "I had to protect you. I had to protect both of you, no matter what."

"Yuiko," Kakashi sighed, turning his head to regard her with a tired expression, "there's that, and there's also having no regard for your own life, your own actions. I may have had a plan, for all you knew — a way to get us out of there alive without anyone dying needlessly."

"I don't care!" Yuiko yelled, looking him in the eye. "Being free means that I can choose how to live my life as I see fit! And if I choose to use my life as a means to protect those who are precious to me, then I should be allowed to do so, no matter how dangerous it is!"

Her eyes flashed wildly as she caught her breath, her hair falling over her face. Kakashi was surprised to find that his own face had grown hot. He hunched forward, lowering his gaze while he regained his composure. He looked back over to Yuiko, who was staring at him with a stubborn expression.

"I used to think like that too, you know," he said, regarding her passively. "I had no regard for my own life, my own safety. I continued to push myself, thinking that it didn't matter, since what I was doing was for the good of the village. It had to be, I thought. Then, Minato-Sensei gave me a different assignment. He assigned me to train two genin who, even by my standards, had remarkable talent. As a result, I spent more time around the village, and I ran into old friends who I hadn't spoken to in a long time. And I learned that they had all been worried about me. I had gained a reputation for needlessly throwing myself into danger, trying to become a martyr for my own cause. I couldn't see how it was hurting the people around me when I was like that. I couldn't see that Minato-Sensei assigning me to you and Noboru was an act of desperation."

Yuiko held his gaze, trying to study his expression.

"There is nothing wrong with protecting those who are precious to you," he continued. "But you need to find a balance between strength and composure. Understanding a challenge can be just as important as being strong enough to tackle it. Your goal should be to approach every challenge in a way that would maximize your chances of being able to handle the next one. Basically, you only put all your cards on the table if you have no other choice."

She watched him sternly, calculating. After a moment Yuiko looked up to the sky, her face softening. "You're annoyingly good at explaining things," she muttered.

"There's a reason I'm the one in charge, believe it or not," Kakashi said, rising to his feet. He offered her his hand, Yuiko taking it as she lifted herself up. They stood for a moment, Yuiko regarding him with a content smile as the water reflection glittered off her face. Something turned over in his stomach and Kakashi took a step back, pulling away his hand.

"Let's see now," he said, resting his chin on his hand. "What would be an appropriate punishment for going against a squad leader's orders, I wonder …"

"Uh, Kakashi-Sensei," Yuiko said, panic rising in her voice. "You're not going to tell Minato about …" she trailed off, unsure of how much to say.

"No. I don't believe Minato-Sensei needs to be informed as long as you can promise me that this was an isolated incident," Kakashi said, observing her intently.

Yuiko nodded vigorously, the panicked look on her face subsiding.

"We'll keep this between us, then," Kakashi said. "I'll head back to the site to cover up anything … out of the ordinary, before we get going. But I think some additional training is needed to help you with some self-discipline. A few weeks training with Guy will do the trick."

"Guy?!" Yuiko squeaked. "He starts training at 4:00 AM!"

"Yes, so I've heard," Kakashi nodded. "If we're lucky, we should be back in Konoha tonight by midnight."

Yuiko looked at him, stunned.

"Is there a problem, Yuiko?" Kakashi asked, cocking his head.

"N-No Kakashi-Sensei," she said, resigned, as the two of them made their way back to camp.

.

* * *

.

"She sounds like a very ... _spirited_ woman," Sakumo said with a chuckle.

"Yes, well, she's mellowed out a bit since then," Kakashi replied, smiling at his father. Kakashi hadn't known what to expect when he died. He had been pleasantly surprised to find that the thing the other side had in store for him was his father.

Sakumo Hatake looked just as Kakashi had remembered him; he had long, silver hair tied back behind his ears, and his eyes were a dark grey, just like his (or, one of his), and framed with crows-feet, giving him an ever-smiling expression.

The campfire crackled before them, the only light source in the infinite void. Kakashi had agreed to tell his father everything when he sat down — and so he had, for the most part. He told him about Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. About Obito and Rin. About Noboru and Yuiko.

"Your mother was also that way, you know," Sakumo said softly. "She had so much fight in her. It didn't help with the illness in the end, but she fought hard every day to spend as much time with you as she could. It's good to hear that you know someone who is the same way."

Kakashi nodded, looking into the fire. He brought his hand up to his cheek, which suddenly felt wet. He moved his hand away, examining his fingers curiously. They were dry, but for a moment he could have sworn he felt a dampness on his face.

"Are you alright, Kakashi?" his father asked, sounding concerned.

"It's nothing," Kakashi replied, still regarding his hand.

The two of them sat in silence, Sakumo observing his son curiously as it stretched on. "You haven't said much about that friend of yours," he said finally. "Do you have another story?"

"Hmm?" Kakashi said, "Which one?"

"The woman. That was the first story where you mentioned her more than just in passing. What was her name again?"

"Yuiko," Kakashi said. He hadn't noticed until his father had mentioned it that he had been glossing over her in his stories. He also wasn't sure why that last story was the one about her that he chose to tell. He had more exciting ones, but his mind kept going back to it. Back to the two of them standing by the river. A feeling of dread fell upon him, but he couldn't figure out why.

"You don't have to say anymore, if it's too difficult," Sakumo said softly. "Reliving the memories of those we left behind can be challenging. I should know; that's all I've been doing for the past few years." He smiled at Kakashi, although his son was having trouble returning his cheerful expression.

Kakashi held his father's gaze for a moment before looking away. "There's something that I had thought about … for a long time," Kakashi said, studying his fingers. "Why would someone who was as well-regarded as you choose to break the village code in order to save his comrades? How could you do something that would cause others to condemn you and make your life miserable?"

Sakumo regarded his son, uncertain. Kakashi lowered his hand, turning to his father. "But I know now that you did your best. Protecting those who were precious to you was your ninja way, as one of my students would put it. And I'm proud of you for what you did."

Sakumo's expression shifted, surprised at the sentiment. "Thank you, Kakashi," he said with a weak smile. "I'm sure that my death was difficult for you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I left you alone."

Suddenly, a screeching sound cut through the air. A green light pierced Kakashi's chest from behind, growing to envelop him in a glowing, emerald aura. "What is that?" Kakashi exclaimed, rising to his feet.

A soft smile spread over Sakumo's face. "It seems like it was too soon for you to come here," his father answered. "There must be something you still need to do."

"Do you mean ..?" Kakashi asked, his question dying on his lips as he regarded the bittersweet look on the man's face. "Father," Kakashi said, regarding Sakumo wistfully.

"Thank you for forgiving me, Kakashi," Sakumo said. "Now I can move on in peace, and be with your mother again." Sakumo smiled coyly as a thought struck him. "Which reminds me … that friend of yours, Yuiko? It sounds like she needs someone a little more level-headed to even her out. And on the flip side, maybe there's someone she can inspire to see the world with more passion and excitement. A woman did that for me once, a long time ago. I'm looking forward to spending time with a person like that again."

The green light grew brighter and brighter around Kakashi, until he could no longer see his father's smiling face. There was a flash of white light, then darkness.

Kakashi snapped open his eyes, his vision only taking in a white light with a shadow looming over him to his right.

"Pa!" Chōji exclaimed to his father as Kakashi sat up. Chōza Akimichi turned around to regard Kakashi. "Him too, then," he said with awe.

Chōji bore a strong resemblance to his father, who shared the same broad build and long hair, although the son had inherited his mother's brown hair as opposed to the bright red his father possessed.

Kakashi's eye adjusted to the sunlight as he fixated on a piece of rubble in front of him. It seemed that someone had retied his headband over his left eye, and moved him out of the rubble he had been stuck in earlier. He brought his hand to his cheek, pulling it away to see that his fingers were wet.

"Oh," Chōji said, noticing Kakashi staring at it. "Your friend Yuiko was here. She was …" He trailed off, uncomfortable.

"Where is she? Is she alright?" Kakashi asked, watching him intently.

"I-I don't know," Chōji replied, flustered. "I think she went after Naruto. I hope they're okay. Everyone here is okay now, so maybe they are too?"

Kakashi moved stiffly, trying to stand.

"Take it easy, Kakashi," Chōza said as he helped to support him. "You just came back from the dead. No need to push yourself."

Kakashi flopped back down into a sitting position, resigned.

"I can fill you in on what happened, in the meantime," Chōza said, patting him on the shoulder.


	44. Chapter 44

Naruto stood in the crater leftover from his fight with Pain — or Nagato, to be exact. Nagato, the Akatsuki member who had been driven for so long by pain and hatred, had been swayed by Naruto's promise to bring peace to the shinobi world. Astoundingly, he had even been capable of bringing everyone in the village that had been killed by his attack back to life. Naruto had felt their chakra returning to their bodies like hundreds of candles suddenly being lit.

He now stood facing Konan, the kunoichi who had been accompanying Nagato. She had used her paper-style ninjutsu to encompass the bodies of both Nagato and their comrade Yahiko, whose body Nagato had been controlling during the attack. Konan had also decided to cease the assault on Konoha after Nagato's decision. "So what are you going to do?" he asked her. "You're not returning to the Akatsuki, are you?"

"I'm leaving the Akatsuki," she replied. "The two men here meant everything to me. Yahiko's dream, and Nagato's dream … if their dreams for peace have both been passed on to you, then you are an embodiment of that. Amegakure will pursue their dreams alongside you."

Naruto beamed at the sentiment. "The name Naruto," he said boastfully, pointing at himself with his thumb, "the guts to never give up, that's what I inherited from my sensei, Jiraiya — and from Nagato, my sibling disciple!"

Konan regarded him coolly with her large, amber eyes. Her blue hair swayed about her face in the wind. She raised her hand, paper forming a vortex around it to create a bouquet of flowers. She stepped forward, holding it out to him. "This time," she said, "I hope —"

She looked over his shoulder, alarmed. Naruto felt something rush past him, and in seconds Konan was gone; the paper bouquet exploding from the impact. Naruto heard a crash as whatever sped past him hit the other side of the crater, shielding his face as paper and debris flew past.

"Konan!" he screamed, lowering his arms. A figure shot into the sky from the dust cloud. Konan's robes were torn in various places, but she used her paper wings to escape whatever was pursuing her. A glowing red beam of energy shot out from the cloud, slicing through the air. The beam carved through one of Konan's wings, but she swiftly repaired it with more paper before she lost much altitude.

Naruto ran toward her as fast as his tired body was able. He had used up almost everything he had in the last battle, but he couldn't let Konan come to any harm now.

 _Maybe it's the Akatsuki,_ he thought. _Maybe, somehow, they already know that Nagato and Konan switched sides._

The dust cleared, and Naruto skid to a stop, his mouth agape. A humanoid creature was crouched on all fours, clawing at the ground. It had glowing yellow eyes that took up nearly all of its face, and its body was covered in a red and black pattern that shifted like TV static. It let out a high-pitched screech as it paced on the ground looking up at Konan, its five tails slapping the ground. It opened its mouth, sharp teeth framing a black ball of chakra energy. Its jaw opened grotesquely, as if unhinged, until the ball of energy grew to the size of the creature's head. Naruto felt the shock wave pulse through the air as the creature fired the ball into the sky. Konan narrowly dodged it as it flew past, the chakra ball creating a large explosion in the air behind her.

 _It's a jinchūriki, I think,_ Naruto thought. _But it couldn't be her. She wouldn't let herself get like this. But …_

"Yuiko!" Naruto screamed.

The creature's head twitched, almost mechanically. It didn't take its attention off Konan. Naruto began to run toward it, "Yuiko! Stop! Konan isn't our enemy anymore!"

The creature ignored him, its head following Konan's flight trajectory as she circled above. The creature crouched down, a pool of red steam forming about its claws. The beast suddenly shot into the sky, heading toward Konan in a red streak. Konan flew swiftly out of its trajectory, but the creature emitted another cloud of steam, quickly changing course. Konan cried out as the beast grasped her, their figures spiraling downward as Konan's paper wings drooped and sizzled from the corrosive steam. They crashed to the ground, Naruto temporarily losing sight of them from the resulting cloud of dust.

"Stop!" Naruto screamed as he approached.

The dust cleared as a wave of paper burst into view, Konan dragging herself backward with one hand while the other reached up and emitted streams of paper from her sleeve. The wave of paper was piling onto a writhing mass, the slips falling off in globs as red steam seeped through the cracks. A muffled screech cut through the mass of paper, its form becoming stiff as something pushed outward. Naruto flung himself over Konan, crying out as his back took on the resulting explosion of burning steam.

"You need to run!" Konan cried, gripping the front of his jacket. Her amber eyes were wide as she looked up at him with a frantic expression. "You cannot die here! You cannot let your vision end here!"

Naruto grasped her hand, pulling it away. He stood up slowly, turning his back to her as he faced the beast. The creature backed away slightly at the intensity of his gaze, letting out a threatening hiss. Naruto balled his hands into fists, purposely striding toward it.

"Naruto!" Konan cried out. She tried to stand, but her right leg quickly gave out beneath her. Paper fluttered about Konan as her body lifted into the air on a new set of paper wings. "Move, Naruto!" she shouted.

Naruto ignored her plea, keeping his eyes locked ahead. "Stop, Yuiko!" he yelled as he approached the beast. The creature raised its tails up, screeching at him again. It made to dart past him, Naruto blocking its path as he wrapped his arms around its torso. It clawed at his arms and legs, Naruto stifling a yell when it sunk its long teeth into his bicep. His skin began to tingle and burn as the corrosive steam about the creature seeped into his flesh.

"I know … I know what it's like to let it take over," Naruto said, his arms shaking from fatigue as he struggled to keep the creature grappled, "to let the rage and the pain control you. And it hurts. It hurts, and you feel like you can't stop it. But my dad — my dad was there to help me stop it." Naruto smiled weakly from the memory of his father's sunny expression. "But you don't have that, I don't think. You just have me. So, please. Please stop."

The creature continued to struggle, digging its teeth deeper into his arm. Naruto grit his teeth, trying not to focus on the pool of blood forming beneath them.

"Don't let it take over," Naruto mumbled. His vision was growing blurry, and the sounds around him were starting to become muffled. His legs would give out in a minute, and his right arm might be gone even before that.

"I don't want you to go away!" he yelled desperately, mustering up the last of his strength. "It's nice …" he trailed off, squeezing his eyes closed. "It's nice having someone to welcome me home."

The creature's struggling died down, before coming to a stop. Naruto winced as it opened its mouth, its teeth slowly sliding out from his arm. The red steam faded, Naruto looking hopefully down into the large, yellow eyes staring back up at him. The creature lowered its head, butting it gently into his chest like he had seen children do to their parent's knee for comfort after losing a toy or scraping an elbow.

It let out a whimper that sounded resoundingly human. Naruto strengthened his grip, trying to ignore the pain shooting through his arm. The creature clung to him, its appearance growing transparent to reveal the silhouette of a human underneath. The red aura rose away in small streams of smoke, dissipating into the air. As the last of the chakra faded away, Naruto smiled softly down at Yuiko.

"I'm sorry," Yuiko whispered from where her face was buried in his jacket. "Naruto ... I'm so sorry."

"Don't sweat it!" Naruto said cheerfully. "I'm just glad you're OK."

Yuiko's shoulders started to shake as she let out a rattling sob. Naruto held her close, patting her back gently as she cried out the pain.

—

Yuiko sat in the grass facing the gravestone, her eyes puffy from the tears. How she even had any left to get out when Naruto held her, she had no clue. By the time she ran out of tears, the ache still lingered, but it was manageable. Naruto had gently explained everything to her, including Nagato bringing everyone back to life. It seemed too good to be true, and she considered that it might be a lie Naruto was telling her to keep her calm. But Naruto wasn't the type of person who would do that. It had to be true — or at least Naruto believed it was.

The former Akatsuki member — Konan — corroborated Naruto's story as she had formed a paper cast about his right arm back in the crater. Yuiko had politely kept her distance, which she could tell the woman was grateful for from the way Konan's amber eyes would flick over to her any time Yuiko so much as twitched. After finishing Naruto's cast, Konan watched Yuiko sternly for a moment before hovering over to her. Yuiko stiffened, having been afraid to move a muscle as Konan stopped before her. The blue-haired woman had put out her hand, forming a single paper rose. She held it out to Yuiko, who cautiously lifted it from her palm. "We caused a great deal of suffering today," Konan had said steadily. "I cannot blame you for your actions. I do not wish to continue the cycle of hate."

They had parted ways shortly after, Konan gliding away on her paper wings across the broken earth with the bodies of her companions floating by her side.

Yuiko had kept Konan's words in mind as she worked silently alongside Naruto; creating a simple memorial to Jiraiya in the untouched forest near where the battle with Pain took place. It was Jiraiya's dream of peace, Naruto explained, as he ran string between the kunai he stuck in the rocks, that was going to be the driving force to create a better world.

Yuiko stared at the memorial, filled with guilt; her actions prior to this moment had been exactly the opposite. She had wanted someone to suffer; she'd wanted them to writhe in agony, to feel pain so great that they wanted to die. She wanted them to feel the way she felt.

 _You wouldn't have done that,_ she thought, regarding the stones. _You would have known that you can't stop the pain by adding more suffering to it._

"I saw my dad," Naruto said, cutting through the silence. He sat crossed-legged on the grass beside her. He looked like a mess, and it pained Yuiko every time she glanced his way to know that it wasn't only due to the Akatsuki.

"I know," Yuiko replied flatly.

"He asked me to thank you," Naruto said, glancing over. "For looking after me, ya know?"

Yuiko shook her head, clenching the material of her pants in her hands. "I haven't done anything."

"I told him that you were doing a great job," he said, smiling cheerfully. "That you made me feel at home."

Yuiko's lip quivered as she bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Naruto," she whispered. "What I just did … How I almost …" Yuiko's gaze fell on his bandaged right arm. She turned her head away from him, tightly shutting her eyes. "And even before that, you were all alone … for so long … Your life was awful because of me. You didn't … You didn't have to lie to Minato."

"I wouldn't lie to my dad," Naruto replied with a grin. "It's OK, Yuiko. You never meant to hurt me. It does bug me that you treat me like a little kid sometimes, but you look out for me. And I look out for you. That's how it works."

They sat in silence for some time longer, Yuiko keeping her head lowered.

 _He's a good kid, Minato. I'm sure you were very proud when you got to meet him._

Yuiko raised her head, noticing that Naruto had fallen asleep where he sat. She reached out to ruffle his hair, but drew back her hand as she decided against it.

She turned her head at the sound of rustling bushes. The branches parted, and Kakashi walked casually into the clearing. Yuiko stared at him, but she wasn't sure for how long. She shakily got to her feet, slowing walking to him.

Yuiko stopped before Kakashi, suddenly afraid to go any closer. She feared that he may be a genjutsu, and would shatter into a thousand pieces the moment she touched him. Even if he wasn't real, she couldn't bear for that to happen. She settled for watching him instead, desperately trying to determine if he was actually there.

"It's been quite a day, hasn't it?" Kakashi finally said, his eye upturning in a smile.

Yuiko's eyes welled with tears, and she threw her arms around his neck, crying into his shoulder. He squeezed her tightly, holding her that way until her tears subsided.

"You do that again, and I'll kill you," Yuiko sniffed, pulling away. Kakashi chuckled, looking about the clearing. He casually approached Naruto, regarding him with a fond expression. "Could you lend me a hand?" he asked, turning his head slightly to look at Yuiko.

Yuiko helped to position the still sleeping Naruto onto Kakashi's back, and the three of them left the clearing. She looked back at the memorial, a single paper rose sitting at its base. Yuiko flashed the memorial a thumbs-up before the stones disappeared from sight.

* * *

A/N: It ain't Naruto if there's no talk no jutsu, am I right?


	45. Chapter 45

Yuiko closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

 _Here it goes,_ she thought, whipping out a scroll and rolling it out flat in the ground.

"Wood Style: Row Houses Jutsu!" she yelled, pressing her palm to the paper. Yuiko could feel the earth rumble beneath her feet, followed by a row of four buildings bursting up from the ground to her right.

 _They have roofs this time. Thank goodness,_ she thought, straightening up.

The four buildings looked rather normal, with the worst mistake being that the paint color on one came out a hunter green rather than the forest green that she was going for.

"Well, look at that," said the chief builder behind her, running his fingers over his goatee. "Third time's the charm, eh Yuiko?" he said jokingly.

"Don't give her too much credit yet," said the chief's assistant, a younger man with a red bandanna tied over his hair. "Let's see if they have less than a dozen staircases this time." The man gave her a playful wink as he walked past her and into the first building.

"I, uh, think I fixed that …" Yuiko mumbled as they disappeared from view.

While he was away, Yamato had asked her to cover his position on the reconstruction of Konoha. Yuiko had a feeling that her only qualification for the job was the fact that she'd be able to duplicate his Row Houses Jutsu, which he had been using extensively to aid in speeding up the recovery of the village.

Yuiko had struggled with it the first few tries, usually producing lopsided houses or crucial missing features such as roofs or support beams. This had stressed her out tremendously, since she only had a set amount of scrolls Yamato had prepared before he left. Amazingly, the builders didn't seem to be bothered too much by her mistakes. Everyone was so grateful to simply be alive that even having to tear one of her pitiful attempts down to start from scratch didn't faze them.

Yuiko picked up the sound of footsteps behind her, turning around and smiling at the familiar face. Yamato waved casually as he approached, his eyes moving to scan the new set of buildings. Yuiko felt that the only thing that topped her relief in that moment was literally seeing someone return from the dead.

"Good job, Yuiko," Yamato said, admiring her work. "Looks like you got the hang of it after all."

"You didn't see the other ones," she said, blushing in embarrassment.

"Ah, Yamato! Good to see you back!" the chief builder said, emerging from the fourth structure. "Yuiko here has done a fine job while you were away; thank you for having her cover for you." The man clapped her heavily on the back. "These last houses are perfect. Thank you for your hard work."

Yuiko pursed her lips, nodding bashfully.

"If you'll excuse us," Yamato said to the builder. "I need to have a chat with Yuiko for a minute."

"I hope it's about a raise!" the chief joked as Yamato and Yuiko walked down the block.

The reconstruction was moving rapidly now. It had been about a week since Pain's attack, but with nearly everyone in the village pitching in to help, they had already rebuilt the hospital, and close to an eighth of the housing needed. Markers had been planted indicating the new street structure, with buildings and tents alike popping up on all sides to fill in the gaps. Despite the circumstances, the village was practically abuzz with hope and excitement.

But what warmed Yuiko's heart most of all was the village's profound shift in attitude toward Naruto. So many of them were finally able to recognize his true self: the kind-hearted boy who would do anything to help someone in need.

Yuiko had been surprised when Yamato came to her a few days earlier telling her that Naruto was going on an excursion outside the village. He wouldn't tell her why, only that she needed to cover for them until they returned. She figured that the only thing that could take Naruto away from the village at a time like this had to be of utmost importance, so she agreed. It hadn't been difficult covering for them, as it turned out; since everyone was so busy in their own right, it was easy to make excuses about their whereabouts.

As Yamato led her, Yuiko noticed that they were now passing by the outer tents of the village. He looked uneasy, frequently turning his head to glance over his shoulder.

"Captain?" Yuiko said, starting to feel anxious.

"Sorry," Yamato said, looking back at her. "There's been a … change, in one of Konoha's operations, and I'm not yet sure how it's going to play out. I would rather not have the wrong people listen in on our conversation."

"Should I use a seal?" Yuiko asked, watching him anxiously.

"If you would," he said, slowing down slightly to match her pace. They started walking side-by-side up one of the crude set of steps carved into the side of the crater, Yuiko pulling out two sheets of sealing paper. She needed Yamato to hold the paper while she flashed through the hand signs, having not practiced enough with the sound dampening seal to create them one-handed. After she completed both seals, they stuck them under their flak jackets, Yuiko releasing the stored chakra.

"This one is new," Yamato said, noting the slightly muffled sound to his voice.

"When it's just two people in the field, hand signs are much less effort," Yuiko shrugged. Yamato nodded, recalling that he had only ever used sound dampening seals in groups in the past. The group seal required the members to stay within the diameter of the barrier though, where this one seemed to allow them to keep moving.

"The two seals resonate with each other," Yuiko said, pointing between herself and Yamato. "We should be the only ones who can hear what we're saying as long as we're standing next to each other."

Yamato was inclined to believe her, based on the odd looks Yuiko received from a pair of women walking the opposite way down the stairs.

"Just keep an eye out for anyone unusual," Yamato said sternly. "There isn't a lot of cover out here, which we can use to our advantage."

Yuiko nodded, eyeing Yamato warily. Normally, he would only be divulging important information somewhere hidden like the Anbu headquarters, but, well, that was no longer an option.

"We went after the shinobi that were here a few days back from Kumogakure," Yamato told her as they reached the top of the steps, turning to walk along the circumference of the crater. "Naruto wanted to speak to the Raikage about Sasuke Uchiha."

"Because he's been labeled as a rogue nin now," Yuiko stated, looking for confirmation.

"Correct," Yamato nodded. "But a lot more happened than I was expecting, starting with the fact that Sasuke attacked the Kage summit."

"He attacked the summit?" Yuiko said, surprised that there was anyone alive who had the gall to confront a group of the nations' strongest shinobi at once.

"I can't say it went well for him," Yamato continued. "He left soon after that, all of the Kage only a little worse for wear. Well, I guess that isn't completely true."

"I take it everyone is alive, from your tone," she replied.

"Mostly," he said flatly.

"Mostly?"

"Danzō is dead. Sasuke killed him."

Yuiko regarded Yamato, concerned. She had not liked Danzō Shimura. The man had seemed incapable of giving Lady Tsunade as little as a week to recover before declaring himself the next Hokage. She had only spoken to him the first time a few days ago, before he left for the summit. Danzō had summoned her to the large meeting house declared to be the new Hokage headquarters, where he had told her that she wasn't permitted to leave the village by any means.

' _We will have a more in-depth assessment done of your abilities when I return,'_ he had said, leaning back casually in his seat. Half of his face, and his entire right arm were covered in bandages, giving him a rather ominous appearance. _'Once that is completed,'_ he continued, _'I will figure out where it will be best to use you.'_

"He looked at me as if I was a thing," she said, scowling from the memory. "Like I wasn't even a person."

 _But still,_ she thought, _that Sasuke would go so far as to kill the man who was meant to be the next Hokage …_

Another thought struck her, Yuiko suddenly figuring out the cause behind Yamato's paranoia _._ "Danzō still had some operatives, didn't he?"

Yamato nodded, a dour expression on his face. "It's unclear what's going to happen within his organization at the moment. I'm not even sure anymore how many of them there are. Sai has assured me that he'll handle the fallout, but we have no choice but to wait and see."

"Sai?" Yuiko asked, furrowing her brow. Yamato looked down at her, a flash of guilt behind his eyes.

"Sai was one of Danzō's Root members," Yamato said, Yuiko's eyes growing wide. "He's been acting as a double operative for some time now. I'm sorry I didn't mention it; it was something I didn't want getting out to too many people."

"You could have told me," Yuiko said, feeling slightly offended. "If Sai was working under Danzō, then it meant he had those nasty seals on him like you mentioned from when you were a kid. I could have taken them off."

"This is precisely why I didn't tell you," Yamato sighed. "Messing with the seals could have blown his cover, which was more valuable than the information he would have been freely able to tell us any day. There are always ways to collect information, but there aren't always opportunities to have an operative on the inside."

Yuiko pursed her lips, turning her head away. Yamato was right, but knowing that the sweet kid she knew had to deal with the infamous cursed seal of Root made her feel sick. She had hardly believed before what Yamato had told her about his time in the organization, and it hurt knowing that another person she considered a friend had to go through the same.

"Aside from all that," Yamato said, surprising Yuiko that there was actually _more_ , "Madara Uchiha visited us for a chat."

"Madara?" Yuiko said, taken aback. "He just visited you to talk? Why would he do that?"

Any mention of the masked man made her nervous. Not only was he supposedly one of the strongest shinobi to have ever lived, but he possessed a jutsu eerily similar to her own. Before a few weeks ago she had never given any thought to the fact that she may someday come face-to-face with someone who could also phase at will. The thought both piqued her curiosity and terrified her.

"He was curious about Nagato, I believe," Yamato continued. "About why he would betray the Akatsuki to save Konoha. He also told us an interesting tale about Itachi, but I'll leave that for another time."

"This sounds like quite the trip," Yuiko mumbled, "And everyone made it back alright?"

"Everyone from our team is fine," Yamato said with a nod. "But I want to get down to the real reason I wanted to speak with you."

 _There's more?!_ Yuiko thought, stunned.

"Now that Danzō is gone," Yamato said sternly, "there is a new candidate for Hokage. Kakashi-Senpai will be taking the position."

Yuiko snorted. Yamato met her gaze, something flashing behind his eyes. Yuiko stopped in her tracks. "You weren't ... joking?" she asked haltingly.

"No," he replied, stopping before her.

Yuiko averted her gaze, embarrassed. "He's strong enough," she said after a moment. "But does he really ... want to be Hokage?"

The corner of his mouth twitched, Yamato being grateful that Yuiko was still averting her gaze. "I don't know what Kakashi-Senpai's true feelings are on the matter, only what he's told me," he said. "But this feeds in to why I came to see you. I don't know what happened, but the two of you have been avoiding each other since the attack."

"I have not been avoiding him," Yuiko said defensively, meeting his gaze.

"You have," he said firmly. "The two of you have hardly said a word to each other and it needs to stop. Kakashi-Senpai will need all of our support now. It's a lot of responsibility for one man to take on; I think it will help if he knows that you're also standing behind him."

"Of course I am!" Yuiko scoffed, offended.

"Then tell him that," Yamato said, walking away. She could feel the weak strain of chakra from the seal pull after him, before snapping back as he stepped out of range. Yuiko pulled the slip of sealing paper from her jacket, crumbling it into a ball as she watched Yamato head toward the stone steps. She put her hands in her pockets, continuing her stroll along the crater's edge.

" _He's right. It will only get harder the longer you wait,"_ Kokuō chimed.

Yuiko exhaled sharply from her nose, puffing out her cheeks. She hadn't asked for Kokuō's opinion, but she wasn't really in a position to say so. Kokuō had been surprisingly forgiving of Yuiko's previous outburst, which made Yuiko feel much worse than if the beast had just been angry with her.

Kokuō had always been more than capable of separating Yuiko's chakra from its own, and easily could have existed within a corner of Yuiko's mind in total isolation if it wished. But after the seals Yuiko's grandfather had put in place to subdue Kokuō had been broken, the pair existed in the content pleasure of each other's company save for the 13 years Kokuō had to lie dormant.

The two of them operated on a mutual understanding, which Yuiko shattered into a thousand pieces the moment she used her sheer force of will to pull upon Kokuō's chakra and cage the beast deep within her psyche. Yuiko had been horrified when she came to her senses, disgusted with herself for essentially imprisoning the friend that she loved more than anything.

It took her some time to pick up the courage, but Yuiko had pulled herself into Kokuō's mindscape, blubbering and begging for forgiveness. Kokuō had simply wrapped her up in one of its tails, playing the familiar melody of leaves rustling in the wind as Yuiko calmed herself down.

' _I felt your pain,'_ it had said, a wave of sadness enveloping Yuiko. _'I was only hurt by the fact that I could not help you, my little mouse.'_

It was those words that had made Yuiko feel like utter trash, and she had vowed to never allow herself to lose control in that manner again. She had subsequently vowed to share all of her inner thoughts when prompted; having barred Kokuō from rather embarrassing or painful feelings in the past. Yuiko tried to keep that in mind as the now increasingly complicated topic of Kakashi had come up again.

 _I'll talk to him when I have the time,_ she told Kokuō. _You know how busy I've been._

" _I've also seen you phase into a stranger's tent to avoid running into Kakashi,"_ Kokuō said, its voice smug.

Yuiko clenched her fists in her pockets, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

 _It's not … the same as it was before,_ she forced out. _I don't know what I'm supposed to do._

" _Saying 'hello' would be a good start."_

 _I feel like a child,_ Yuiko thought, kicking a loose pebble.

" _Acting a little less like one might help."_

Yuiko huffed. _It sounds like Yamato isn't the only member of the 'Pick on Yuiko' club._

" _We're holding a recruitment meeting next Tuesday, if you know anyone who's interested."_

Yuiko grinned, making her way back into the village.


	46. Chapter 46

Kakashi slowly opened his eye, but saw nothing but pure darkness. He reached up, sliding the open book off his face. It was a copy of _Make-Out Paradise_ that he'd picked up from a traveling merchant that had come through the village earlier in the week. The man was over the moon when Kakashi bought nearly every book he had in stock. Almost all the books Kakashi previously owned had been destroyed in the attack, and it was going to take a lot of work to bring his collection back to its original glory.

Kakashi sat up on his cot, tucking his legs beneath him. He glanced at the clock on the desk at the other end of his tent, noting that he was up much earlier than necessary. It had been a while since he'd had so much trouble sleeping, but something had been building up in him since it was official that he was being considered as the next Hokage. No — actually, it had started before that. It was a feeling of dread that had continued to grow since he came back to life. The obvious answer was his feelings toward the impending responsibility, but that only seemed to be a piece of the puzzle.

He pushed the feeling down, reaching his hand out to run his thumb along the spines of the books stacked up on the nightstand near his cot. He needed another distraction — something to keep unwanted thoughts from floating to the surface.

Kakashi drummed his fingers thoughtfully on the stack for a moment before reaching under his cot. He pulled out a metal box, which contained the only personal items he had been able to salvage from his apartment.

It wasn't uncommon for shinobi to have safe boxes for belongings, and Kakashi had decided to pick one up for himself many years ago after Orochimaru's attack nearly brought his entire apartment complex to ruin. He opened the lid and was greeted by Minato's apologetic smile and Obito's determined glare. He looked at the old picture of his team fondly, moving the stack of photos aside. The only two items in the box otherwise were the summoning contract for his Ninken, and the special edition copy of _Make-Out Tactics_. He lifted up the book, a slip of paper falling from between the pages. He picked the paper up, musing to himself that he would need to find himself a larger bookmark; he wouldn't dare to dog-ear the pages of the special edition.

He froze as he studied the text on the paper. He hadn't looked at it in years, and had honestly forgotten that he placed it in the box to begin with.

Kakashi loosened his grip, watching as the movie stub fluttered back into the box. He stared at it for a moment before closing the lid.

.

* * *

.

Yuiko stood in front of the marquee, her lips parted and eyes shining in wonder as she stared at the flashing lights. Kakashi sighed, backtracking a few steps to stand beside her.

Yuiko had been back in Konoha for a little under a month, and Kakashi had taken on the unofficial role of getting her reacquainted with the village. There hadn't been a lot of competition for the job. The few who knew her from before she left treated her stiffly, and Yuiko's awkward mumblings when Kakashi tried to engage them in conversation didn't help the matter. The only one who seemed to treat her warmly was Might Guy, who welcomed her back as if she had been on a long vacation. Kakashi was certain Guy would have been more than happy to show Yuiko around if he asked, but was afraid his exuberance would quickly overwhelm her and drive her further into herself.

Kakashi was finding that he was having a harder time reconnecting with her than he had hoped. It seemed that all the time she spent in isolation meant she had become reserved to the point that she had trouble holding a conversation for more than a minute or so. She had been somewhat shy when they were younger, but she had been coming out of her shell and had an easier time interacting with her peers by the time she was a chūnin. The woman who stood next to him now, though, seemed much different, with only small hints of the person she used to be. He was happy that she was back, but sad that she had lost so much of herself over the years.

 _I suppose I can't be too judgmental,_ he thought. _I'm probably a very different person, myself._

"... can we?" Yuiko said, timidly.

Kakashi looked over with a start, not even registering that she had been speaking to him. Yuiko stared at him expectedly, her hands clasped above her chest.

"Sorry, I missed that," Kakashi said, his eye curling up as he smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, the movie," Yuiko said, pointing to the theater. "Can we watch it?"

Kakashi grimaced, thankful that Yuiko couldn't see the face he was making beneath his mask. The movie playing was the new Yukie Fujikaze movie that had been filmed over a year ago in the Land of Snow. It also happened to be the film Team 7 had found themselves caught up in, when it turned out that the simple escort mission for the cast and crew turned into a full-on battle between the land's daimyō and his team as they protected Yukie from being kidnapped. It was a terrible mess. What was worse, though, was when he found out that the crew had used actual footage of his team in the movie itself. Sakura had been urging him strongly to see it, but the girl couldn't help but to start giggling uncontrollably when she did so, building his suspicion.

"I'm not really in the mood for that right now," Kakashi said, as pleasantly as possible. "Maybe some other time, when something else is playing."

"Okay," Yuiko said, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I've never seen a movie before, and the poster made it seem exciting. But I'm sure you have much more experience with movies than I do, so you probably know better."

"You've never …" Kakashi's voice trailed off, his eyebrow drooping.

 _Oh boy,_ he thought.

—

Kakashi sat down, spreading his arms out over the back of the seats next to him as he lounged in the chair. Sitting comfortably in one spot for long periods of time was a hobby of his, now being no exception. Yuiko sat to his right, looking about the theater in awe. "You've really never been to one of these?" Kakashi asked, watching her lazily as she turned about in her seat.

Yuiko shook her head, taking in the deep red of the chairs and curtains around the screen. The small theater was mostly empty at the moment, giving her an unobstructed view of the rows of seats and small balcony.

"Alright," Kakashi said, using his right hand to pull his headband down over his eyes, "well, wake me when it's over."

Yuiko turned around to face him, an anxious look growing on her face. "You're not going to watch it with me?" she asked, her voice wavering.

"I'm not big on movies," he replied.

"But you're in this one, aren't you?"

Kakashi brought his hand back to his face, slowly lifting his headband above his right eye so he could glare at her. "Who told you that?"

"Sakura," Yuiko said earnestly.

"Of course," he sighed, resigned.

"She told me that I should really see it," Yuiko said solemnly as the lights began to dim around them.

"Of course she did," Kakashi said, internally cursing his former student.

The movie started, and Kakashi watched uninterested as the main character, Princess Fūn, and her group of warriors had to go somewhere to do something for someone or another. There were a few dramatic scenes, Kakashi fighting to keep his eye open as Princess Fūn dramatically wailed over the unexpected death of one of her comrades due to ... sea sickness? He knew that wasn't right, but he didn't care enough to ask Yuiko about it.

The following scene was the group encountering the main villain on a large glacier, which Kakashi recognized as the location where the crew was attacked by real shinobi from the Land of Snow. His eyebrow raised slightly as an explosion revealed the enemy shinobi Nadare, who proceeded to order his comrades to capture the Princess. Kakashi and his team leapt into frame then, quickly working to keep the real threat away from Yukie and the rest of the crew.

Yuiko let out a small gasp of excitement, gripping Kakashi's hand, which had been hanging down to the right of her shoulder. Kakashi stiffened, unsure of what to do. He glanced over, noting that Yukio seemed entranced, her attention focused acutely on the screen. His fingers suddenly curled around hers, his heartbeat increasing as he realized what he had done. His mind started racing with a number of excuses to get himself out of the situation, including a substitution jutsu involving a bag of popcorn; but part of him — whatever part that had control of his right hand, apparently — didn't want to move a muscle.

He had finally settled on excusing himself to the bathroom when Yuiko suddenly started to giggle hysterically. Kakashi dragged his attention back to the movie, realizing that he had missed a bit of it due to his internal strife. The battle scene was still going on, and Movie Kakashi was barking orders — but Movie Kakashi had a much lower, more gravelly voice than Real Kakashi. Kakashi stared at the screen, dumbfounded, while Yuiko planted her free hand over her mouth, her shoulders trembling as she laughed. Every time Movie Kakashi spoke, she was thrown into a new fit of laughter that she couldn't seem to shake. Kakashi looked apologetically at a few of the movie patrons who turned in their direction, but couldn't bring himself to kill Yuiko's mirth.

Yuiko was eventually able to calm herself down, and the two of them finished the movie without any more incidents. The lights didn't come on as the credits started to roll, so Kakashi stayed put, once again becoming hyper-aware of Yuiko's hand on his own. A warm feeling was growing in his chest, and he was suddenly having trouble holding on to any one thought as he glanced between Yuiko and the screen.

The lights slowly came back on, Yuiko breaking the spell by lowering her hand into her lap. This made Kakashi feel an odd mixture of sadness and relief that he couldn't quite explain.

"What did you think?" Yuiko asked, looking at him expectantly.

"It was … a movie," he drawled, Yuiko seemingly hanging on every word. "I liked the part with the snow."

"Most of it had snow!" Yuiko said, looking offended. "I liked it! The story was gripping, and watching your team during the fight scene was really interesting! Since when can you make a giant ice whale?" Kakashi only answered with a half-hearted shrug, but Yuiko didn't appear bothered. "It was the best movie I've seen in a while," she said with a firm nod.

"Really?" Kakashi said skeptically, leaning his head in his palm. " _That_ was the best one? I honestly question your — wait." His eye narrowed. "You said you had never seen a movie before."

"I lied," Yuiko deadpanned.

"What? Why lie about something like that?" Kakashi asked, taken aback.

"Sakura said you probably would try to get out of watching this one," she said matter-of-factly, rising from her seat. "So I had to make up a reason to get you to go."

Kakashi regarded her, catching a glimmer of something familiar.

"It sounds like I need to have a talk with my darling student," Kakashi said, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he rose. "And when I say 'talk,' I mean 'put her through taijutsu exercises until she's incapable of movement.'"

"You should be more concerned about actually believing that I never saw a movie," Yuiko said, walking between the chairs. Kakashi stopped himself from saying there was no way he could have known when he spotted Yuiko trying to hide a smile. They exited the theater, Yuiko stopping under the marquee to look up at him. "Thanks, Kakashi," she said softly.

Kakashi regarded her with a blank expression, assuming that she meant more than just the movie. He shrugged, looking down the street. "Do you still like to read?"

Her eyes lit up. "Yes, I read a lot. There are certain titles that are harder to come by in the rural areas, so I'm behind on some of the series I started. We've passed by a few bookstores, but …" She ducked her head down, looking uncertain.

 _But you didn't want to bother me by asking,_ he thought, his eyebrow drooping slightly as he recalled how nervous she was at first about the movie.

"You shouldn't hesitate to ask me anything," he said softly. She raised her eyes, and he could see a flash of recognition in them.

 _I never stopped being your friend,_ he thought, meeting her gaze. _I never stopped thinking about you._

He looked away, clearing his throat. "Let's head out."

Yuiko clapped her hands over her mouth, trying to keep her composure. Kakashi had adjusted his voice to match the deep, rasping voice of Movie Kakashi. "Right, Kakashi-Sensei!" Yuiko yelped, balling her hands into fists in feigned seriousness.

"Don't call me that," Kakashi said, his brow furrowing. The honesty behind that statement was lost on Yuiko as she broke into laughter again. Kakashi sighed, adjusting his voice back to normal as they walked together down the road.


	47. Chapter 47

Kakashi wandered aimlessly through the streets, taking in the ambiance around him. The village bustled with activity as its members worked to get back into their routines. A new shop seemed to pop up every day, replacing the beige and grey tents with freshly painted storefronts. Color was returning to Konoha, which made it feel a lot more like home.

Kakashi strolled with one hand in his pocket, the other holding the bouquet of flowers Guy had given him as a congratulatory gift for being named as the next Hokage. He was somewhat grateful that the bunch of cream-colored daisies was the most ornate thing Guy had been able to scrounge up at the moment. He admired his friend's enthusiasm, even if he did go a bit overboard at times.

But it was Guy's encouragement that was helping Kakashi gain a real grip on the situation at hand. It was a reminder that he wasn't in this alone, not entirely. It was daunting, seeing the faces of everyone he passed, knowing that soon they would all be under his charge. That his entire life would be dedicated to cultivating their happiness and successes. His life had been dedicated before to protecting the village, but now it was needed to help it grow; to strive to make it the greatest it could be. He could only hope that he was capable of taking on the task.

He rounded the fence of the new hospital, spotting a flash of something purple catch the sunlight. He backtracked around the corner, leaning over cautiously to peak around it.

Yuiko stood with her back to him, conversing with a middle-aged man with a short beard. Judging by the tool belt around his waist, he appeared to be a builder. He was gesturing to a large scroll, Yuiko occasionally nodding as he spoke and pointing to different places on the paper. A knot twisted in his stomach. He pulled his head back, walking back the way he came. He turned down the next street over, stopping at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Yes, I think it saw it over here, a slight imperfection you can fix with your phasing jutsu," Yamato said, guiding Yuiko around the corner. "Right over — ah! Look who it is!" Yamato exclaimed, feigning surprise.

 _Tenzō …_ Kakashi thought, furrowing his brow.

"What great timing!" Yamato said cheerfully. "I was about to tell Yuiko she could go on break. Go on, then!" He gave Yuiko a rather forceful shove, Yuiko looking back at him with a wide-eyed expression like he was trying to shove her into a pit full of snakes.

Yamato disappeared around the corner, his voice carrying in the air as he addressed the builders on the neighboring street. The two of them stood stiffly, avoiding eye contact.

"You have flowers," Yuiko said shyly, pointing to the bouquet in his hand.

"O-oh," Kakashi stuttered, partially hiding them behind his leg, "they-they're not …"

"Were you looking for it?" Yuiko asked as she stared pointedly at his feet.

"Eh?" Kakashi said, his eyebrow drooping.

"It's this way," she said, gesturing him to follow her. "They uncovered it just this morning." Yuiko turned around and began to walk, Kakashi waiting for a beat before he ambled after her.

They walked down the streets in silence; the tents thinning out as they reached the edge of the encampment. Even though the village had been leveled, Kakashi found that he still had a sense of where they were headed. He chalked it up to muscle memory, considering he had spent so much time in the area.

As they stepped around a pile of rubble, Kakashi was taken aback by the sight of the large, blue memorial made to commemorate the Third Shinobi War. It had fallen on its side and had a few chips taken out of it, but it was mostly still intact. He had expected it to be blown to bits, and felt an unexpected sense of relief wash over him as he watched it sparkle in the sunlight. He walked to it, placing his hand on the cold stone, and then set the flowers on the ground before it. He leaned his head against the stone, lingering there for a moment.

 _I made it back, Obito. I'll return to tell you more about it sometime. I don't think you'd believe it, though. I hardly do myself._

He straightened up, running his hand one last time over the stone.

When he turned around, he found Yuiko standing a few paces back, facing away from him. He walked over to her, his hands in his pockets. The ground was slightly raised here, and they could see a portion of the tents and new buildings stretching into the distance before the great stone faces etched into the cliffside. They gazed at the scene, their hair being blown about by a slight breeze.

"You'll make a good Hokage," Yuiko said bluntly, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"You don't sound terribly convinced," Kakashi replied jokingly.

"You're lazy," she said, turning her head to look at him. "And you like to wander off. You can't do that when you're in charge."

He lowered his head, deflated. "Not pulling any punches, huh?"

Yuiko studied him, putting her hands on her hips. "Minato could be a bit of a pushover," she said, looking up at the fourth Hokage's likeness on the stone wall. "Kushina used to tell him he needed to assert himself and his goals more as Hokage. Plus, he felt that he needed to be involved in everything that went on in the village, even if he was just being a passive observer. He did it because he cared, but it wasted a lot of time."

She looked back to Kakashi, her eyes gleaming. He felt the familiar knot turn over in his stomach. "You'll make a good Hokage," she repeated. "Minato was a good Hokage. He told me that everyone in the village was important to him because everyone was his family. I think you already feel that way."

Kakashi's face softened as he looked at her. "Thanks, Yuiko."

Yuiko surprised him by looking rather downtrodden from the remark. "Sorry," she said softly. "I haven't really been …" She trailed off, looking down at her feet.

"I haven't either," Kakashi said with a passive inflection.

Yuiko nodded in understanding, finally looking up at him. "You OK?" she asked sheepishly. Kakashi let out a long sigh that he felt he'd been holding in for days.

"I'll get over it," he deadpanned. Yuiko glared at him, her glare intensifying from the twinkle in Kakashi's eye.

"This is serious," she said.

"If you say so," he shrugged. Yuiko looked conflicted before finally deciding that it wasn't worth the effort. She crossed her arms, looking out over Konoha with a sour expression.

"You know, the council told me I should have a confident at my side," Kakashi said, his eye turning up in a smile. When no response came, he opened his eye, seeing that Yuiko was already a few feet away. He smiled again, following after her as they made their way back into the village.

—

"Oi, Yuiko!"

Yuiko looked over from her desk, her chin resting on her hand. She had been studying the blueprints Yamato gave her for the next housing development and was grateful that something, anything, had come to distract her from it. The flaps of her tent flung open, Might Guy parading in with a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "Ah, hard at work I see!" he said, flashing her a thumbs-up.

"Not really," she replied flatly, returning the gesture with her free hand.

"How about we celebrate your tireless efforts," Guy continued, ignoring her comment, "and you come join Kakashi and myself for a sushi boat? Since we're already going out to celebrate Kakashi almost becoming the Hokage, it wouldn't hurt to find others to share in the festivities!"

"Guy," Kakashi said, lifting up one of the tent flaps from outside. "You can't just walk into someone's tent without asking."

Yuiko sat up straight in her chair, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "What did you do?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kakashi replied, letting the tent flap drop behind him. "I didn't do anything. I thought that was the point."

"Exactly!" Guy said, laughing joyfully.

Yuiko frowned, confused.

"Oh," Kakashi said, smiling pleasantly. "Lady Tsunade has regained consciousness. She's expected to make a full recovery, along with reinstating her position."

Guy swung his arms dramatically through the air. Yuiko flinched as his hand narrowly missed the oil lamp hanging from the ceiling. "Her miraculous upturn is a beacon shining brightly through the clouds that hung heavily over our souls!" Guy bellowed, tears flowing down his cheeks. "She is truly a fine example of a woman whose heart still sings with the songs of youth!"

"Yes, that's … one way of putting it," Kakashi added.

"So let's celebrate!" Guy cheered, nearly shoving Kakashi off his feet from the strong clap to his back. "And where is our aspiring architect, Yamato? He's been working harder than all of us! We need to give him a break before he puts us all to shame!" Guy laughed, flinging Yuiko's tent open with gusto as he strutted away.

Yuiko rose from her chair, rolling up the blueprint as Guy's voice drifted through the air. "How many tents did he burst into before he found this one?" she asked.

"Too many," Kakashi replied.

She chuckled, quickly dropping her eyes to the desk as her cheeks grew red. Yuiko picked up more of the rolled blueprints, busying herself as she pretended to organize them. "So you're relieved then?" she asked.

"More than I should admit," Kakashi said, studying her tent. It was mostly barren — similar to almost every other one in the village. Most people would have been lucky to dig up any remnants that had once been a part of their homes. Next to her bed he spotted a kunai and a cat-shaped clock that clearly looked like it had seen better days. Those two items were probably the only things she had been able to recover from the wreckage.

"Oh," he said, reaching into his side pouch as a thought struck him. "I believe this is yours."

Yuiko turned around, studying the book he held in his hand. The cover depicted a katana lying against a pink background with a heart-shaped blood stain flowing from the blade. Yuiko reached out, gingerly taking the book.

"I had a chance to finish it a few days ago," Kakashi said, returning his hands to his pockets. "I had it on me when I — err, when the village was attacked, so it wasn't destroyed. I thought you might want it back."

Yuiko's hand trembled as she looked over the cover. "How … how did you like the ending?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Hmm," Kakashi said, tilting his head back in thought. "I think what Rika wanted was someone safe. Eiji was familiar, so that's who she retreated to in the end. Being with someone as spontaneous as Kei would have left her open to have her heart broken again — but in the end I think she would have been happier if she had gone with him on his journey across the sea." He closed his eye, resting his chin in his hand. "Although, Eiji had a cursed sword possessed by the soul of the vampire king, and who could resist that?" He chuckled, opening his eye to see that Yuiko had her back to him again. "Yuiko?"

"Eh?" she said, turning around. She was clutching the book with enough force to bend the cover, and her eyes looked dewy in the soft lamplight. He stared at her, his face growing warm.

"Alright! Let's head out!" Guy roared, re-entering the tent with his arm flung over Yamato's shoulders.

"Guy, I really have a lot of work to get done," Yamato protested with a frown.

"Nonsense!" Guy bellowed. "The characteristics of a great master include knowing when to exert yourself and when to reward yourself for a job well done!"

"But that's the thing," Yamato remarked, unsuccessfully trying to pry himself out of Guy's headlock. "I'm not done. And master of what?"

"Ha ha! This will make great sushi boat conversation!" Guy proclaimed, pumping a fist into the air. "Come on, you two, you don't expect Yamato and I to finish the 100-piece boat by ourselves, do you?"

"The _what_?!" Yamato exclaimed as Guy guided him back out of the tent.

"Oh?" Guy's voice chimed from outside. "That will only be for the group. Kakashi and I are going to have a contest to see who can eat another 100 each after that. Yuiko coming along means that he can't say no, either!"

"That's because it's much harder to ignore two people hounding me than just one," Kakashi said dryly, although he was sure Guy wasn't paying attention enough to hear it. The sound of Guy's laughter faded through the air as he dragged Yamato away. Kakashi shrugged his shoulders, bringing his attention back to Yuiko. "Shall we?" he asked, sounding somewhat defeated as he held up the tent flap.

"Of course," Yuiko replied, tucking the book into her side pouch. Guy's exuberance had been a rather effective tool in snapping her out of her daze. She smiled agreeably as she passed by Kakashi. "I'd be a fool to pass up dinner with a free show."


	48. Chapter 48

"Let's be done with the greetings and get down to business," Mifune said gruffly. Tsunade sat casually across the table with her chin resting on her fingers. She hoped that Mifune, the samurai general of the Land of Iron, didn't pick up on the slight twinge of tension that occurred at his comment.

She scanned the faces at the table around her, her heart beginning to race. What she was about to do could turn out to be a terrible idea, but she was gambling on the hope that it wouldn't raise a stir.

 _Or maybe I should bet for the opposite?_ She thought, considering her own luck.

She had traveled all the way to Kumogakure for her first meeting of the five Kage summit. This meeting would be a crucial one, mainly focusing on how to organize their combined strength for the impending war against the Akatsuki. Danzō had taken her place at the last summit, and she could only hope that his meddling didn't leave her with an uphill battle for the other Kages' confidence in Konoha.

Next to the old samurai sat Mei Terumī, the Mizukage. Tsunade was grateful for the woman's presence; Mei was open-minded and relatively sharp. She was young — second in age only to the Kazekage, Gaara — with long, auburn hair that hung over one of her bright green eyes. Tsunade felt that the woman would hear her out, at the very least, before jumping to any conclusions.

Tsunade was also confident that Gaara would remain a neutral party at her revelation. The young Kazekage seemed level headed, with no desire to create conflict among his peers. He sat with his hands folded in front of his mouth, his pale blue eyes surrounded by thick black markings, looking at each member of the meeting intently.

 _It's the other two I need to worry about,_ Tsunade thought as she glanced to her right.

A, the Raikage, sat proudly, a formidable sight. He was a large man, his white shirt open in the front to reveal his protruding muscles. He took great pride in his strength, feeling that it was a reflection of the strength of his village, Kumogakure.

Tsunade feared that what she had to say could be misinterpreted as a threat to that strength. Even with talk of the impending war, it was clear from the Raikage's stern expression that he held concerns about what role Kumogakure would play in the coming events. Anything that could be interpreted as a threat to that position might cause a divide among her peers.

 _I need to be confident,_ she thought, _and downplay any attacks on my character made by the Tsuchikage._

The elderly man sitting directly to her right, Ōnoki, was the man she worried about the most. What she was about to say could be seen as a direct insult to Iwagakure, and the Tsuchikage might be the only person on the planet more prideful than the Raikage.

Also present in the large, circular room were the Kages' various aids and advisers. Tsunade had less to worry about there, as long as they kept their mouths shut.

"So," the Tsuchikage said, drawing Tsunade's attention, "where are we expected to hide the jinchūriki during the war?"

Shikaku Nara, Tsunade's war adviser, shifted uncomfortably behind her. This proposal was a course of action that Tsunade hadn't been expecting.

"What?" Tsunade said, her temper flaring. "The jinchūriki can give us a great advantage during battle. Why would we not use them?"

"Those were my thoughts initially," the Tsuchikage replied, scratching his bulbous nose. "But those two are what the enemy is after. We felt that it would be unwise to keep them in plain sight." The old man smirked. "This was all decided during the last meeting — although you were still ill at the time, Princess Tsunade."

Tsunade slammed her fist on the table. "Our enemy is Madara Uchiha! If we hold back any of our resources, victory could slip from our grasp!"

"It has been decided," Gaara interjected. "The majority of the Kages have ruled that our aim is to protect those two. That, and hope that we can locate the Five-Tails if the Akatsuki have not succeeded in doing so already."

Tsunade sighed, sliding her hand off the table. She turned in her chair to look back at Shikaku. He looked down at her sternly, causing the scars that ran along his face to wrinkle slightly. He gave her a quick nod.

"Well then, I might as well get on with it," Tsunade said, sitting up straight as her eyes scanned across the Kages. "The previous representative to the summit, Danzō, chose not to share a crucial piece of information with you all. I can understand his motives, but I believe that to have full trust between our villages, we must be honest with one another. This is information that I believe should be shared only between the Kages and the aids present, although I suppose you all may vote otherwise."

She waved her hand dismissively. Shikaku raised his hands, flashing a series of signs before being consumed in a cloud of smoke. As the smoke cleared, the Kages found that a woman with long, light purple hair and violet eyes stood in his place. She was a Konoha shinobi, based on the standard black jumpsuit and grey flak jacket that was common for the Hokage's personal guard. The woman lowered her hands, scanning their faces nervously as if she were a transfer student regarding members of her new class.

"What is the meaning of this, Tsunade?" the Raikage growled, suspicious.

"That woman," Gaara said, his eyes narrowing. He still sat with his elbows on the table, seemingly unfazed by the turn of events. "She is the Five-Tails."

"Yes," the Mizukage said, her eye wide in surprise. "Yes, she looks older than her picture in the Bingo Book, but it's her, isn't it?"

The Raikage stood, looming over them. "She is also wanted for murdering a comrade, from what is written in that same book."

"Her crimes," Tsunade said, rising to her feet, "turned out to be fabricated. Yuiko Uzumaki has been absolved of any wrongdoings and is a valuable member of our force. I brought her here —"

"You bringing her here," interjected the Tsuchikage, "only proves how brazen you are, Princess Tsunade. The two previous Hokage chose to keep the location of the Five-Tails hidden despite the fact that its power rightfully belongs to Iwagakure. The third Hokage only fessed up to possessing her when she went rogue. To me, this appears to be a show of force, under the subtle disguise of camaraderie — unless, of course, you are planning on returning the jinchūriki to Iwagakure?"

Tsunade slammed her hand on the table as she scowled down at the old man. "Tsuchikage or no, I will not entertain the idea of anyone talking about one of my citizens as if they were a trading card!"

"Uzumaki," Gaara said coolly, addressing Yuiko. Yuiko had been watching Tsunade and the Tsuchikage with a wide-eyed expression. She slowly moved her attention away from the heated exchange. A glimmer of fear could be seen behind her eyes as she looked at Gaara. She hadn't been expecting any of the Kages to address her directly, and so far this meeting wasn't going the way Lady Tsunade had planned.

Gaara, however, seemed unperturbed by the exchange happening at the other side of the table. "Are you a relative of Naruto's?" he asked calmly.

This wasn't what Yuiko expected. The tension in her shoulders released slightly. "Not closely," Yuiko said. She opened her mouth to say more, but quickly snapped it shut when she noticed that the other Kages had grown quiet in order to hear her speak.

"Interesting," said the Mizukage, flipping her hair. "I heard rumors once that the Uzumaki clan was wiped out in part by an attack on Uzushiogakure. I also heard that the attack was spearheaded by the previous jinchūriki of the Five-Tails." The eyes of everyone present landed briefly on the Tsuchikage. He frowned, looking slightly distressed at their attention.

"You lost your home," Gaara said, again addressing Yuiko.

Yuiko lowered her eyes. "I don't really remember that place. Konoha was the first place that felt like home."

"Many of our villages did things in the past that we are not proud of," the Mizukage said, turning her gaze back to the Tsuchikage. "I don't think we should continue the cycle by taking people from their homes. The war is going to do that enough for us, anyway."

The Raikage exhaled, sitting down heavily with a stroke of his beard. "I may have … been a little rash. I do not agree with your idea of surprising us with her presence, Tsunade, but you did bring her here as a show of your commitment to the unity between our villages."

The Tsuchikage opened his mouth to speak, but the Raikage held up his hand. "I understand your concern, but time is not on our side for us to come to an agreement on the Five-Tails' fate just yet. Right now we should consider it an advantage to all of us that we have the three remaining jinchūriki under our protection. This will be a major detriment to our enemies."

"Agreed," chimed the Mizukage, Gaara nodding in concurrence. Tsunade sat down hesitantly, regarding the Tsuchikage. He looked away from her, his arms crossed over his chest, but he didn't seem to want to push the matter.

"Ahem," Mifune grunted as he cleared his throat. Tsunade had almost forgotten that the old samurai was there.

"The Kages must still come to a consensus on what to do with the jinchūriki," he said. "Victory can only be assured with everyone unified on the decision."

The eyes of everyone present once again landed on Tsunade. A small frown touched her lips as she regarded them. "What do you think, Yuiko?" Tsunade asked, turning slightly in her seat. "This is a decision that would involve you directly, after all."

Yuiko lowered her head as the attention shifted to her. If all of this was only about her, things would be different. But it wasn't. "I want … I want Naruto to be safe," she said softly. "I think that he would want to be a part of the fight, though. And I do too. But …" she trailed off, unsure.

"But Naruto tends to act recklessly when his friends are involved," Gaara said, finishing her thought. Yuiko met his gaze as she nodded in agreement.

Tsunade sighed, relenting. "Fine, then. The jinchūriki will be kept hidden during the war. But I would also like to suggest, once again, that Yuiko's presence be kept a secret to those outside this room. I think we can use it to our advantage if the enemy continues to spend their resources on a wild goose chase."

"And what of our resources?" the Tsuchikage asked, gruffly. "All of us have teams dispatched looking for the Five-Tails. Are we to continue wasting their time to put on a show?"

The corner of Tsunade's lips curled slightly. This was actually something she had prepared for. "It's a good cover, don't you think?" Tsunade said snidely.

"Eh?" The Tsuchikage said, his thick brows furrowing.

"The teams can use the search effort as a cover," Tsunade continued. "We can assign them to other missions under that guise as well, throwing the enemy off to what we're _actually_ doing. Plus, the enemy will grow desperate the longer the search effort is drawn out. People tend to make more mistakes when they're desperate."

"Very sneaky," the Mizukage said with a smile. "I like the idea of making them squirm."

"I concur," chimed Gaara.

"So do I," said the Raikage.

The attention at the table turned to the Tsuchikage, who nodded reluctantly.

"Then it's settled," said the Raikage. "Any discussion concerning the Five-Tails will be treated as classified for the time being. Now, to determine where the jinchūriki will be hidden …"

.

* * *

.

"Good morning," Yuiko said pleasantly. She shifted her gear pack off her shoulders and lowered herself into a sitting position. "I know it's been a few days, but I just got back from a trip outside the village. I'm glad to be back. Turns out being on the Hokage's escort team is pretty stressful." She chuckled to herself, her eyes looking around nervously until they landed on her gear pack. "Oh!" she said, rummaging feverishly inside the pack.

"It's a little early, but I brought you a present." Yuiko proudly lifted up a bottle of sake. It was the most expensive type she could find, and she unabashedly rotated the label outward to make sure it was visible. "I got it in the Land of Lightning, so it's _foreign_." She smiled smugly as she set the bottle down before her. Yuiko cleared her throat, sitting up straight.

"So I wanted to ask you something," she said, her cheeks growing slightly pink in spite of the serious expression plastered on her face. "I mean, the sake isn't just to butter you up or anything, I was going to bring it by anyway so I hope you don't think that." Yuiko shifted uncomfortably, bunching the material of her pants in her hands.

"I found out that I'm leaving tomorrow for the war," she said. Yuiko looked away as an unsettled expression touched her face. "It just seems to be happening so suddenly. I can't even talk to Naruto about it, since he thinks it's just another mission. Oh, so don't tell him that, OK? Anyway …"

Yuiko kept her eyes averted, nervously running her fingers through her hair. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you for some advice. There's someone that I wanted to say something to … and, um …"

Yuiko's eyes narrowed with an accusatory glare. "You know who it is, but I'm not going to say it out loud since you'll just make fun of me. But you're better at words and things than I am, so I thought maybe you could help." Yuiko sat stock still as she stared ahead. She would have been a perfect picture of serenity if it wasn't for the mounting redness creeping up her face. Eventually her patience ran out and she buried her face in her hands. "I'm pathetic," she mumbled.

Yuiko slowly parted her fingers, peering through her hands. "What would you do?" she asked nervously. A slow smile touched her lips, Yuiko dropping her hands into her lap. "Knowing you, probably something stupid."

Yuiko lowered her head, pulling out blades of grass from the tufts of turf around her. A comfortable silence fell over the clearing, dust motes floating about in the sunlight that streamed between the trees. Yuiko closed her eyes. There was a faint sound of the wind blowing through the leaves, along with the occasional chirps of a nearby sparrow. "Well," she said, raising her eyes. "I guess I'll just do something stupid, too."

Yuiko rose to her feet, her face breaking into a wide grin as she looked down at the small memorial.

"Thanks, Jiraiya."


	49. Chapter 49

"K-Kakashi?"

Kakashi looked up from his book. He had retreated a short way from the inner village, finding a comfortable spot against a tree to read. He had been hoping to get some down time in since he only had a short break before it was time for Konoha to move out for the war.

Kakashi had been assigned to lead the third of the five divisions created for the Allied Shinobi forces; his division was going to be among the first deployed, since their main objective was going to be positioning themselves for support. Leading the division was sure to be tiresome, but Tsunade herself had assigned him to the task, putting Kakashi in a difficult position to turn the offer down. There was a lot of prep work to be done … but it wasn't anything that couldn't be put off until later.

Yuiko was standing over him, her hands clasped tightly behind her back. She was staring quite pointedly at her feet as if they would pop off without her concentration. He was actually a little surprised that she'd tracked him down; he figured that she would be tied up in meetings with Tenzō for most of the day. Well, there were also places he was supposed to be at the moment, so he wasn't in a position to judge.

"Do you mind letting me finish the page?" he asked, his attention already returning to the book. Yuiko flinched out of the corner of his eye. Picking up on her distress, he reached up to neatly earmark the page before snapping the book shut. "Is everything alright?" he asked, rising to his feet. Yuiko seemed unsure of how to answer that question. He tucked his book into his front pocket and waited patiently. From her reaction he was already certain that no one had died, so he was willing to wait it out for anything less than that.

"Would you ... would you like to go on a walk with me?" Yuiko asked, her eyes still lowered.

"Of course," he said, growing worried. Yuiko's face was now slightly flushed, making her appear ill.

 _Perhaps she's nervous about the mission?_ He thought.

Yuiko, Tenzō, Naruto, and Guy were leaving the next morning to the secret location where they were to meet up with the Eight-Tails and be kept out of sight for the remainder of the war. Part of him was disappointed that so many of their strongest shinobi were being kept away from combat, but it was ultimately crucial for their victory to keep them out of harm's way. Naruto would reject the idea, of course, which was why Tsunade and Tenzō came up with the ruse that they were taking him on a secret S-Rank mission.

Kakashi had heard from Tenzō earlier in the day that Yuiko had been rather torn over the decision, which was understandable. Naruto could almost be classified as a force of nature at this point, considering his potential in combat. But similar to a force of nature, his power was unpredictable and could be as dangerous to the Allied Shinobi Forces as the Akatsuki. Yuiko, on the other hand, had a much firmer grasp using Tailed Beast chakra from what Tenzō had told him. If the rumors concerning the Eight-Tails were true, their power had the potential to give the Allied Shinobi Forces an overwhelming advantage. It was unfortunate that the risk versus the reward was simply too high. Kakashi could only imagine the level of frustration Yuiko must feel.

The two of them walked along noiselessly through the forest. Yuiko still wasn't looking at him, instead fidgeting with her hair as it blew in the breeze. Kakashi's stomach churned. He looked away from her, pushing the feeling down. He instinctively stuffed his hands in his pockets, his left hand brushing against something cold and metallic. "Oh," he said, pulling the object out. "There was a merchant selling these. I thought you might need a new one since yours looked … like its nine lives had run out."

He handed her a small, blue clock that fit snugly in the palm of her hand. It was shaped like a cat, with clock hands made up as whiskers and two large eyes painted above the clock face. Yuiko clutched it in her hand, studying it intently. Without a word, she swiftly put the clock in her pocket. Kakashi waited for her to say something, but resigned to giving her worried glances as they continued on in silence.

Yuiko stopped as they passed over a small bridge crossing a stream. Her hands were at her side, bunching up the material of her pants. Kakashi regarded her, perplexed.

"I, um," she stuttered, her eyes darting between his face and the water. Her face was almost entirely pink now.

"Do you need to sit down?" he asked, concerned.

"N-no," Yuiko said. "I just- I am …"

"If you've been poisoned, you should really say so," Kakashi deadpanned. Yuiko's gaze momentarily turned into a glare before melting back into one of panic. Kakashi reached over, gently taking her arm. "Come on. Just sit down for a minute, okay?"

Yuiko took a deep breath, tightly squeezing her eyes closed. She mumbled something inaudible.

"Yuiko," Kakashi sighed. He was quickly starting to lose his patience. "If you're not going to tell me then —"

"I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU!" Yuiko shouted.

Kakashi froze, his hand still on her arm. Yuiko slowly opened her eyes to look up at him as she took short, panicked breaths. A knot formed in his stomach. Kakashi let go of her arm, taking a step back. Yuiko clasped her hands above her chest, her breathing becoming more regular.

"I'm … I'm in love with you," she repeated quietly, looking into his eye. Her eyes gleamed, the reflection of the water shining in their sea of deep purple.

The knot in Kakashi's stomach twisted, feeling like someone was digging a kunai into his gut. He brought his hand up, clutching at the material of his jacket.

"When you ..." Yuiko said, swallowing hard. "When you died, it felt like, I was being torn apart. It was like the time Minato and Kushina died, but ..." She lowered her eyes, her hands shaking. "But, it wasn't just sadness this time. I didn't know what it was. I felt that I would never be whole again."

Yuiko closed her eyes, tears forming. "And when you came back ..." She looked up at him, a soft smile on her lips. "I was … so happy. I had never felt …"

Kakashi regarded her, unmoving. The whirring of thoughts that normally flew through his subconscious had slowed to a crawl, and he almost felt like an outside observer as he watched Yuiko tentatively take a step forward, closing the distance between them. She slowly lifted her hand, cupping it against Kakashi's cheek.

It felt warm.

Kakashi shut his eye for a moment, leaning into her palm. The knot in his stomach twisted violently. He opened his eye, his hand coming up to wrap itself around Yuiko's wrist. "Yuiko," he said, gently pulling her hand away. "Maybe, we can talk about this later. After this is all over."

Yuiko visibly deflated, her hand dropping limply to her side. "But what if something happens?" she whispered, looking up at him with a pleading expression in her eyes.

"Then it was meant to be," Kakashi said simply. Something flashed across Yuiko's face; a determination that he rarely saw outside of combat.

"You … you're," Yuiko muttered, trying to find the right words. She needed him to know. She needed him to understand.

"You make me feel like I belong."

Kakashi looked conflicted for a moment. He stared over her shoulder before steadily locking his gaze with hers. "I can't tell you what you want to hear. I'm sorry if I ever gave you the impression that I felt the same way." Kakashi's demeanor shifted as his posture grew more relaxed and something was snuffed out behind his eye. He watched her with the same level of indifference as if she had just informed him that grass was green.

Yuiko's hopeful expression shattered, her confidence draining away as she shrunk underneath his detached stare. Kakashi pretended not to notice, watching her passively.

"I," Yuiko said, her voice shaking. "I just thought —"

"If you're surprised," Kakashi said, "then maybe you didn't know me as well as you thought."

Kakashi broke their gaze to look at the water moving lazily beneath them. Yuiko stood there for a moment, not saying a word. He watched her feet turn around from the corner of his eye. She walked a few paces back the way they had come before coming to a stop.

"Don't do anything stupid," she whispered.

Yuiko leapt away and disappeared into the trees. Kakashi looked up, staring at where she had been. He shifted his gaze and walked to the edge of the bridge. He looked down and watched as his reflection twisted and coiled in the rippling water. A few leafs floated by over his reflection; a sign that fall would soon be upon them. Kakashi breathed deeply, counting to three with each inhale and exhale as he pushed down the tightness in his stomach. After a few minutes, he was back to normal.

"Alright," he said, a carefree expression falling over his face. He walked over the bridge, back toward the village. All of the planning needed for his division wasn't about to do itself, after all.

.

* * *

.

"Really?" Yuiko said, her eyes alight.

"Yeah, really," Kakashi said happily.

Yuiko smiled, elated. She was clutching the straps on her knapsack so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. Kakashi had never seen Yuiko this happy, and was wondering if maybe it would have been better to give her the news in private.

"Noboru too?" Yuiko squealed, grabbing her teammate's arm. Noboru's expression had been concerned, but like a light bulb he suddenly beamed when Yuiko's attention was on him.

"Yes, you too, Noboru," Kakashi said. Noboru smiled at him weakly, a much more subdued response than Kakashi was expecting.

"Jōnin," Yuiko said, putting her hands to her cheeks. She walked in a small circle as if she didn't know what to do with herself. Kakashi heard a few good-natured chuckles drift over from the guards behind him.

 _Definitely should have done this in private,_ Kakashi thought, his eyebrow drooping. They were standing under the great archway where he had told his team to meet him for their upcoming mission. The mission, however, had just been a ruse to get his teammates to clear their schedule. Kakashi could have given them the news without going through the trouble, but it wasn't often that he had the opportunity to surprise someone with something pleasant.

"We're really ... we're really good enough to be jōnin, Kakashi-Sensei?" Yuiko said as she stopped pacing.

"Again, yes," Kakashi sighed. "And you don't have to call me that anymore."

Yuiko was before him in a flash. "Thank you, Kakashi-Sensei!" she said, hugging him so tightly his spine popped.

"Uh, hey," he said, trying to ignore the warm sensation creeping up his face. Kakashi looked over at Noboru in hopes that the boy could help him escape. However, Noboru was staring off into the distance with an anxious expression. Kakashi's brow furrowed, his attention torn away from Noboru as Yuiko released him.

Yuiko clapped her hands together as a thought struck her. "I need to go tell Naruto! Oh, I guess I can tell Mikoto that she doesn't need to watch him for me tonight, too."

"The whole point in me making up that we had a mission was so that you two could have the night off," Kakashi said, adjusting his flak jacket. "Also, Naruto is a baby."

"So?" Yuiko said defensively. "He's really smart! He's going to be so proud when I tell him that I'm a jōnin!"

" _Nominated_ , to be a jōnin," Kakashi corrected dryly.

"It's basically the same," Yuiko mumbled. She looked up at him hopefully. "So, where are you taking us?"

"Eh?" Kakashi said, cocking his head.

"You said that we have the night off," Yuiko said, her exuberance returning. "So where are you taking us to celebrate?"

"Uh," Kakashi said, scratching the side of his face, "I figured you guys would do something …"

"Let's go get barbecue!" Yuiko smiled, looking between her companions. "I heard they opened up a new place where you can cook the meat at your table. We should go there! Right, Noboru?"

Noboru blinked, drawing his attention back from elsewhere. "Uh, yeah. Great."

"Let's meet at seven," Yuiko said cheerfully. "I'm going to go tell Naruto!"

Yuiko practically flew down the street as she headed for the Uchiha district. Kakashi figured that Yuiko was probably going to get a less than stellar reaction from Naruto, but Mikoto and her son Itachi would at least be able to reciprocate her excitement.

Yuiko suddenly stopped, turning quickly on her heel. "Seven!" she yelled, pointing at Kakashi.

"I get it," he replied, annoyed.

She turned, adjusting her gear pack as she ran. Kakashi watched her for a moment before giving a weak shrug. He pulled a book out of his pocket; a new crime drama where the investigator falls in love with the beautiful daughter of the Daimyō. The romance part wasn't _totally_ stupid, although Kakashi would never admit it.

Glancing at Noboru, he noticed that his teammate was still watching Yuiko as she dashed off into the distance. "See you," Kakashi said, strolling away as he opened the book to the page he had marked.

"Yeah, see you, man," Noboru replied, in an almost dazed tone. Kakashi paused. He thought about turning around, but decided against it.

—

Kakashi put the rag into the bucket of water, stretching his back as he straightened up. He had spent nearly twenty minutes cleaning the gravestone, working out every speck of grime he could find. He crossed his arms as he looked down proudly at his work. "They're pretty excited, Rin," he said. "Yuiko is, anyway. So is Noboru, probably. I think I may have surprised him. He doesn't like it when he can't see something coming."

He looked up as he felt a presence approaching him. Noboru stopped at his side, looking down at Rin's grave. "I always wondered where you went," he said, smiling softly. "This explains a lot."

Kakashi regarded him suspiciously. Something about this didn't feel right.

Noboru looked up at him, smiling broadly as he ran his hand through his messy brown hair. "What's with that look, huh? I just wanted to make sure you weren't late."

 _Crap,_ Kakashi thought.

"Thanks," Kakashi said, picking up the bucket. "Yuiko would have killed me."

"Not right away. She'd probably roast you on one of those barbecue grills first," Noboru teased.

Kakashi smirked, his previous feeling of unease lifting as they exited the cemetery. He placed the bucket near the entrance on their way out to pick up later.

They walked side-by-side through the streets in silence. As they strolled through the neighborhoods, the street narrowed and curved upwards over the side of a hill. There was a lookout point at the top that sported a few benches shaded by trees. The area was empty this time of day, probably due to its proximity to meal time.

Noboru left Kakashi's side as he walked up to the edge of the small hill. He hopped onto the lower rung of the red railing, leaning over slightly as he took in the sight of Konoha below. Kakashi paused, regarding the view from a few paces back. He didn't mind too much if they were late as long as he had someone else to take the blame for a change.

"Is it worth it, Kakashi?" Noboru said, keeping his back to him. "Is being a jōnin worth trading everything you love for the good of the village?"

Kakashi's attention drifted away from the skyline to give Noboru a perplexed expression. "What are you talking about?"

Noboru turned his head, a look of pity on his face. It pierced Kakashi like a knife. He was used to it from others, but not Noboru. Never Noboru.

"I get it now," Noboru said. "The way you look at us sometimes, it's the same way you look at that gravestone. It's like you're trying to imprint our likenesses into your brain so that you can remember us when we're gone."

Kakashi stared at him, not knowing what to say.

"To you, we're already dead. It's easier that way," Noboru continued, leaning against the railing as he looked over the buildings. "I suppose I can see why you're always indulging yourself in those stories. It's safer to become attached to the characters in a story than to living, breathing people. The characters in a story will never leave you until you want them to. Loving one of them means never having to say goodbye."

Noboru pushed himself away from the railing, walking up to Kakashi. Kakashi stood motionless as Noboru stopped before him.

"You're my friend, Kakashi," Noboru said sadly. "I don't like thinking that you suffer like this. Tell me, is it worth it? Is this pain, this sadness, worth carrying around for the sake of the village? Is this what it means to become a jōnin? To give up everything good that you feel deep in your heart in order to serve? Is that what will happen to me? Is that what will happen to Yuiko?"

Kakashi stared at him, unable to answer.

 _Everything good … deep in my heart …_

Kakashi remembered the day his dad came home early from a mission, arriving unexpectedly to pick him up at the playground. He recalled laughing as he took his father's hand and looked up into his smiling grey eyes. The two of them strolled down the street, Kakashi happily swinging their hands to and fro. Kakashi was absentmindedly babbling about his classes at the academy, and hardly noticed the man coming toward them. A large glob of spit landed in the dirt by his father's feet, Kakashi whipping his head about to stare at the man who had just walked past. Sakumo kept walking, as if he didn't notice. Kakashi looked back up at his father, catching a glimpse of something he couldn't read behind his eye.

The scene changed; darkness falling around him. Kakashi was now standing in his father's room, his father's body curled up on the floor with blood pooling from his stomach. He clutched his gut as pain ripped through it.

Kakashi blinked. He stood in a training field, dead grass crunching beneath his feet. Obito's voice rang out behind him. Kakashi turned around and caught the last of Obito's exuberant speech about becoming Hokage. Rin put her hand over her mouth as she giggled, the blush of her cheeks showing under her purple markings. Minato rubbed the back of his head, smiling broadly as he regarded his students. Kakashi took a step toward them.

Giant boulders suddenly fell from the sky. Kakashi ducked his head, squeezing his eyes closed. When no impact came, he hesitantly opened his eyes to see Obito pinned under one of the boulders. Obito reached his hand out to Kakashi, his eyes pleading. Kakashi stretched his arm out, desperately trying to reach Obito. His arm was washed in something warm and sticky, and Kakashi cried out in dismay as it pierced Rin's chest. Her lips moved soundlessly, a trickle of blood escaping her mouth.

He pulled back his arm in panic, bringing his hands to his face. He put on the mask that had materialized in his grip, hot breath blowing back at him as he gasped for air. The mask was stifling and uncomfortable, but it was safe. He didn't have to think about his failures. He could be someone else with the mask on. He didn't have to be Kakashi if he didn't want to be.

Something tugged at the edges of his mask, trying to take it away. He slammed his hands onto the side of his face, his knuckles turning white from the strain of keeping the mask in place. The pulling stopped, and instead something soft brushed against his hand. He loosened his grip in surprise, and the mask was drawn away. Kakashi squinted at the sunlight reflecting intensely off the river. Something touched his hand again, and he looked down to see that someone was holding it. His raised his eyes to meet Yuiko's, catching the gleams of light as they danced across her damp hair.

A cracking sound cut through the air, Kakashi looking down to see that two of Yuiko's fingers had snapped off in his hand. Cracks ran up her arm, the rest of her hand falling away like dust. Yuiko didn't seem to notice, keeping her good-natured expression as Kakashi's eyes grew wide in horror.

The knot in Kakashi's stomach twisted fiercely. He fell to his knees, taking short, panicked breaths. The red cobblestone beneath Kakashi shifted in and out of focus, a black halo surrounding the edge of his vision.

"Deep breaths, man," Noboru said, concerned. His voice was murky, as if he were trying to speak to him from underwater. "Deep breaths or you're going to pass out."

Kakashi lengthened his breaths, Noboru patting his back and counting to three with each inhale and exhale. Noboru helped him to his feet, guiding him to a nearby bench. The two sat down, Kakashi leaning back heavily into the bench as he looked up into the sky. The sun was starting to set, and they were getting past the time they were supposed to meet Yuiko.

"You should leave this place," Noboru said in earnest. "Just go. Look what this village has done to you. Think about how your life could be if you were able to be free."

' _Being free means that I can choose how to live my life as I see fit. And if I choose to use my life as a means to protect those who are precious to me, then I should be allowed to do so.'_

Yuiko's words drifted through his head. His gaze fixed on a star that shone brightly against the purple sky above him. "Leaving the village won't make me free," Kakashi said, his voice drained of emotion. "I can't escape what I'm trying to run from." He closed his eye.

 _Everyone who I ever cared about is already dead._

Kakashi opened his eye, turning his head to regard Noboru. "Tell Yuiko that I will no longer be assigned to work with the two of you."

Noboru looked at him, defeated. His mouth opened slightly, but he closed it, reaching out instead to give Kakashi's shoulder a squeeze. He stood, putting his hands in his pockets as he walked away.

"See you around," Noboru said as he walked down the hill. Kakashi watched his retreating figure until he disappeared around a corner. He turned his head to look back up into the sky. He stayed there for a few hours, rising stiffly to walk home as a chill ran through the air.

It was the next day that he was called into the Hokage's office. The old man told him gravely that Noboru was found dead, and that Yuiko was missing. The twisting pain returned in Kakashi's stomach. He took deep breaths, counting to three, until he couldn't feel the pain anymore.


	50. Chapter 50

Yuiko leaned over the railing, looking down as the waves splashed against the port side of the boat. There wasn't much else to look at, since they'd been sailing through a heavy fog for almost three days now.

Not that it mattered. The only thing Yuiko was slightly less indifferent to off of the boat was what was on it. Even then, it wasn't by much. This was only the second time she had lingered on the deck for more than a few minutes the entire trip. The little time she spent outside her cabin over the past few days was taken up by avoiding as many others as possible. Naruto was easy enough to deflect, so he wasn't a problem. The problem was a more observant member of her group.

Yuiko raised her head, taking in a deep breath. "What?"

Yamato was standing next to her, staring. Yuiko found it deeply unsettling.

 _Wait … is that what I do to people?_

"You've hardly said anything this whole trip," Yamato stated as he joined her leaning against the railing. "Even Guy is in a better mood, and he's been throwing up every 30 minutes."

"Aren't you Naruto's babysitter now?" she asked, glaring at him from the corner of her eye.

Yamato let out an exasperated sigh. "I want to speak with someone who can talk about something other than an octopus," Yamato mumbled.

Yuiko hated to admit it, but her curiosity was piqued. "That prophecy thing again?" she asked, trying to keep an indifferent tone.

"Yeah," he sighed, "Naruto has his mind set that an aquatic animal is going to solve all his problems and make him stronger. It wouldn't bother me so much if he didn't keep going on about it. I've got one Uzumaki who will talk my ear off and another who won't say a word." Yamato chuckled, his laughter dying down at the lack of Yuiko's amusement. He watched her solemnly as he tapped his fingers against the railing. "I'm worried about you, Yuiko. Is this about the war?"

Yuiko's grip on the railing tightened, her knuckles going white. Yamato's comment brought into perspective how trivial her problem was compared to everything else going on. She felt like an idiot. But she wasn't ready to give up wallowing in her self-pity just yet. "I just want to be left alone," she said dismissively.

Yamato's expression hardened. "I already have my hands full coming up with a fake S-Rank mission to keep Naruto occupied once we get to the island," he said, sternly. "I'm going to need your help to pull that off. You need to stop moping and take this mission seriously, Yuiko."

Yuiko bowed her head, embarrassed. She was a jōnin, dammit. She was better than this. "I'm sorry, Captain Yamato," Yuiko said earnestly, turning to look him in the eye, "I just —"

She clapped her hand over her mouth. Yamato's eyes were open wide, giving his face a ghoulish expression.

"Stop it," Yuiko whispered.

Yamato clicked on his flashlight beneath his chin, the shadows extenuating his frightening expression.

Despite her best efforts, Yuiko laughed. It bubbled up out of her gut, and was a much more pleasant sensation than the heaving sobs she was becoming all too familiar with. She covered her eyes as a shield since she couldn't trust herself to calm down otherwise. "Okay, okay I give," she said. "Stop!"

"Look who's coming around," Yamato smiled, turning off the light.

Yuiko dropped her hands to shoot him an accusatory glare. "That's a cheap trick," she said, yanking his visor down to cover his eyes.

"I take offense to that," he said, adjusting his visor. "I put a lot of time and effort into perfecting my techniques, including that one. There is nothing 'cheap' about it."

"I'm sure," she said with a chuckle. The ache in her chest remained, but she found that it hurt a little less. Guilt turned over in her stomach as she returned Yamato's smile. He was certainly a better friend than she deserved.

"Look! It's the island!" someone exclaimed.

Yuiko and Yamato turned to the bow of the ship as the fog parted. They looked in awe at the massive stone spikes that rose up from the water.

"It … doesn't look very appealing," Yuiko said. The island was, for lack of a better word, ugly. Yuiko looked over to see Naruto standing in the middle of the deck, a sour expression on his face as he regarded the island.

"Don't worry!" one of the Kumogakure shinobi chirped, "The creatures here won't bother us as long as we stay out of their way."

 _Creatures?_ Yuiko thought. _What kind of place is this?_

"Well ..." the shinobi continued, "except for one."

A large, pink tentacle rose from the water at the stern of the boat. It was enormous — a quarter of the tentacle alone was larger than the entire ship. Yuiko let out a surprised shout as she pointed at it, causing everyone to turn.

"An octopus tentacle!" Naruto shouted with glee, rushing toward it. "O great Octopus-Sensei, tell me how to become stronger!"

More tentacles rose up around the boat, followed by an even larger triangle-shaped head.

"That's not an octopus," Yamato said nervously as the creature's yellow eyes rose up past the ship. The squid loomed over them, its tentacles quickly surrounding the vessel.

"That's the one I tried to warn you all about!" the Kumo shinobi shouted, his brown hair now drenched in the sea water dripping from the creature's tentacles.

 _Why would he not saying anything until now?!_ Yuiko thought, gripping on to the railing as the boat began to rock.

Naruto was looking up at the squid with a thoughtful expression, quietly counting the tentacles on the creature beneath his breath.

"Naruto, it's obvious that it isn't an octopus!" Yamato exclaimed.

"Yeah, but I just want to be —" Naruto began, but was cut off by a tentacle wrapping itself around his middle. He was yanked from the deck and pulled up into the air.

"Naruto!" Yuiko shouted, crouching to pounce after him. The boat jerked violently, causing her to lose her balance.

"Squid, go deviate! The rest I'll abbreviate!" a voice boomed in the air. The squid fell away from the boat as its face squished against a monstrous fist. Yuiko sat on the deck, regarding the new creature in astonishment. It had the muscular arms and torso of a man, but its lower body resembled the tentacles of an octopus, and its bull-like head had white, protruding eyes.

 _"Oh, it's the Eight-Tails,"_ Kokuō stated.

 _Amazing,_ Yuiko thought, her eyes wide _. It's huge!_

" _Ah, this is your first time seeing a Tailed Beast in person. We tend to have that effect,"_ she said, pleased.

Something orange caught Yuiko's attention as it fell from the sky. Naruto landed aptly on the deck. He was drenched in seawater, but seemed no worse for wear. "This one's an octopus!" Naruto shouted happily.

Yuiko stood, putting her hands on Naruto's shoulders. "Are you okay, Naruto?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine!" he said, waving her away. "Look at how cool that octopus thing is!"

The figure of a man appeared within the writhing tentacles of the beast. He was minuscule compared to the rest of it, sitting in a relaxed manner with his arms crossed in front of his chest. The man vaguely resembled the Raikage in appearance, with tan skin and white-blonde hair slicked back under a white headband. He wore a white flak jacket clipped over one shoulder, leaving the rest of his muscular chest bare. There was a sword strapped to his back, which was wrapped in white gauze up to the narrow hilt.

"Ya'll are late, fools! Ya fools!" he said casually as the octopus tentacles, along with the rest of the beast, quickly slithered into his back. He landed on the deck, straightening up with a grin.

 _This guy is immense!_ Yuiko thought. _The sword on his back alone looks taller than I am._

Yuiko knew next to nothing about Kumo's jinchūriki. Even Kokuō recalled very little about the Eight-Tails; the two of them having not interacted since shortly after they were born. The Kumo jinchūriki and the Eight-Tails had saved their group from a giant monster though, so they couldn't be _too_ bad.

"Hey! Thanks Octopops, ya know!" Naruto shouted.

The man mumbled something, pulling a small book out of his pocket. "Will we clash, or be a smash?" he said, almost to himself. "This kid's words "ya know" cut at me like a buzz saw. I'm known to be a brat-hatin' outlaw."

The group regarded the Kumo jinchūriki in silence for half a beat. "What's … wrong with the beefy guy in shades?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Welcome, everyone!" A voice said, ringing out from the island. Those on deck looked up to see a man with spiky brown hair sporting a streak of green paint along the bridge of his nose. He wore a white flak jacket over a long, grey robe, giving Yuiko the impression that he must also be a Kumo shinobi. He stood atop one of the large spikes protruding from the island. "My name is Supervisor Motoi," he shouted. "I'll take you to your lodgings, so please follow me."

 _Why is he introducing himself from all the way over there?_ Yuiko thought. Yamato seemed to have a confused look mirroring her own. He lifted up his hands in a shrug when he met her gaze.

Yuiko glanced back at the Kumo jinchūriki, who was now bobbing his head as he continued to mumble and write in his book.

 _What is up with these people?_

The door to the lower deck slid open behind them, and Might Guy emerged with his arm slung around Aoba's shoulders. Yuiko didn't know Aoba Yamashiro too well, feeling a little guilty that she must have made a poor first impression as she moped around the ship for the past few days. He was a fellow Konoha jōnin who had dark, spiky hair and normally sported red-framed sunglasses. He was fairly laid-back, and had taken on the role of patiently looking after Guy as he struggled with his seasickness. He would joke around with Yamato sometimes about Guy's condition, but Yuiko never sensed any malicious intent in the remarks.

"Get a hold of yourself, Guy," Aoba stated as they came toward the group. "We're about to stand on solid ground!"

Guy looked worse than Yuiko had ever seen him before, including the times he would 'challenge' himself to run laps around the village until he collapsed from exhaustion. Perhaps it was because he still seemed upbeat despite the fatigue during those times, but now he looked like he had nearly lost the will to live.

"Is Bushier Brow-Sensei alright?" Naruto asked, concerned.

"This trip … was … painful," Guy said between hollow gasps.

Yuiko frowned; seeing Guy so discouraged just felt inherently wrong. "Come on, Guy," she said, taking his free arm. She smiled in an attempt to seem encouraging. "We're almost there."

"Yuiko!" Guy gasped. He looked at her as if he hadn't seen her in years. Leaning over, he took a deep whiff of her hair.

Yuiko froze in shock; Yamato and Naruto looking on with stunned expressions.

"You smell … like grass," Guy wheezed, tears running down his cheeks.

"Seriously, Guy?" Aoba said, his eyebrows drooping over his sunglasses. "I know you miss solid ground, but come on."

Yuiko shuddered.

 _I guess I'm in no position to judge the Kumo shinobi for being weird._


	51. Chapter 51

Yuiko walked through the halls of the forest lodge, finishing off a roll she had grabbed from the cafeteria. She reached into the front pocket of her flak jacket to grab another. Yuiko had been assigned the standard Konoha shinobi gear for this mission, including the green flak jacket with the front pockets. Its room for items was a pleasant deviation from what she was used to, and without the need for extra weapons on the island, she promptly filled them with snacks.

Yuiko nibbled on another roll, and after some exploring of their floor decided to head back to her room to unpack. Motoi had guided them earlier through the forest and to this lodge, where they were to be staying for the remainder of the mission. It was rather plain, with bare beige walls and spacious hallways that amplified the sound of her footsteps as she walked. The lodge wasn't much to look at, but it came as a pleasant surprise when it was mentioned that it had electricity and running water. Yuiko wasn't expecting the Kumo outpost to have such luxuries, considering the fact that island seemed unpopulated most of the time due to the unusual creatures that resided on it.

Their party had a brief run-in on the way there with one of the creatures they had been warned about — a gorilla that was roughly the size of a small house. The octopus jinchūriki, known as Killer B, quickly calmed the beast down through simple intimidation. Motoi explained that Killer B had tamed all the animals on the island, and that it was where he had previously trained to gain control of the Eight-Tails.

Yuiko's stomach had churned in guilt when she saw the look of admiration on Naruto's face as he regarded B. She had been completely useless when it came to aiding Naruto in his control of the Nine-Tails. Yuiko suspected that gaining control of her Tailed-Beast had come much easier to her than for most jinchūriki; Kokuō had willingly offered her help, guidance, and friendship — something that it seemed most Tailed-Beasts weren't inclined to do.

 _Which was great for me, but not very helpful for Naruto,_ she mused.

They were both jinchūriki, and yet Yuiko couldn't relate to his experience at all. Or Killer B, for that matter. Yuiko, quite simply, had been spoiled. She didn't blame Kokuō for it, knowing that the beast certainly didn't do anything wrong. It was an odd feeling like she had been given a medal or a trophy for something that other people had to work for and she just … got it. It was a feeling that left her anxious and frustrated, like she was supposed to be mad at someone but she didn't know who. Not really knowing what to do with that feeling, she settled for stuffing another roll in her mouth as she rounded the corner toward her room. She stopped at the sight of a crowd of people filling the hallway.

"I've been begging for so long on my knees!" a woman's voice rang out. "Come on, my dear, please! Teach me with your expertise!"

Killer B stood in the doorway of his bedroom, surrounded by a group of voluptuous, naked women. The women were identical, their blonde hair thrown up in pigtails which fell over their bare backs and breasts. The roll fell out of Yuiko's mouth, dropping with a soft thud to the floor.

Killer B stepped back into his room, slamming the door behind him. The women fell back with a cry, poofing out of existence one by one. With another 'poof' of smoke, Naruto appeared in the hallway, looking perplexed at the closed door. He stormed up to it, slamming his fists against its frame. "Hey, old man! Don't be so stingy!" he shouted. He turned his head slightly, noticing Yuiko standing at the end of the hallway. She stiffened, quickly turning around.

"Hey, wait!" Naruto yelled. "It's not what it looks like! Yuiko!"

He caught up to her down the hall, a stony expression on Yuiko's face as he grabbed her arm. "I was just asking him to help me get control of the Nine-Tails!" he exclaimed.

Yuiko swallowed hard. "He didn't ... ask you to do that for him, did he?" she said hesitantly.

"No!" Naruto shouted. "I was just — it normally works! It worked on Pervy-Sage when I asked him to train me."

Yuiko exhaled, putting her hands on Naruto's shoulders. "Don't use that jutsu again. Understand?"

"Hey!" Naruto said defensively. "I invented it!"

"Never ..." Yuiko put her hands on his cheeks, squishing them together. "... again."

"Mfm-kay" Naruto relented, rubbing his cheek when Yuiko pulled away. "Not in front of you, anyway," he mumbled to himself.

Naruto groaned in frustration. He tilted his head back as he anxiously ran his hands through his hair. "I'm going to go talk to that Motoi guy," he said, sounding crestfallen. "Maybe he can show me how that old man with the shades trained to control the Eight-Tails."

Yuiko watched him go, her heart sinking at the dejected tone in his voice. She turned her attention back to Killer B's door. A determined look grew on her face as she regarded it.

"Okay," Yuiko said, giving her cheeks a slight slap. She walked up to B's door, knocking gently. She counted out 15 seconds, knocking a second time. She waited another 22 seconds before knocking again. The door swung open, and Killer B looked down at her with disdain. "I'm done with your tricks! Stop tempting me with cute girls for kicks!"

"Lord B," Yuiko said, trying to keep her voice steady. She stared back at her own reflection within his shades, dismayed at how small she looked. "My name is Yuiko Uzumaki. I want to apologize for Naruto's behavior." She folded her hands, bowing slightly. "He doesn't think things through sometimes. Please don't judge him negatively for it."

Killer B frowned. "You're not that brat."

"No. I'm ..." she tensed her hands. "I'm a jinchūriki, just like you. My Tailed-Beast is Kokuō, the Five-Tails. And I'm … a failure. I couldn't help Naruto because I never had to put in any effort to gain Kokuō's cooperation. I was simply lucky that I was given someone as amazing as Kokuō to share my experiences with. So please," she bowed much lower this time, "please help him. Please help him gain control of the Nine-Tails. I don't want to see him struggle with it anymore. He's smart and kind, if you get to know him. Please."

Yuiko squeezed her eyes closed, taking quick breaths through her nose. She was able to calm herself down, but was startled to learn that a minute and 26 seconds had passed during that time without a reply from B. Yuiko hesitantly straightened herself, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. She was surprised to see B standing with his fist held out to her. Yuiko looked down at it, a crease forming between her brows as she studied his hand in confusion. Killer B let out an exacerbated sigh, shaking his head. "Ya'll Konoha folks are just so lame; none of ya'll have got any game!"

Yuiko's gaze darted between his face and his still outstretched fist. "Eh?"

"Make a fist, yo!"

"Oh!" Yuiko jumped, holding out her hand. Killer B grinned, gently bumping his fist against hers. Yuiko smiled slightly, the gesture reminding her of Guy and his thumbs-up.

Killer B nodded in approval. "I've got an appointment I need to make. You should come along and forget the fool being a headache."

Yuiko blinked. If she had to prioritize the list of things she wanted to do on the island, spending one-on-one time with the guy who she found incredibly intimidating would be toward the bottom. "I don't know —"

" _Go, Yuiko. Try to convince him to train Naruto,"_ Kokuō interjected.

"Uh, of course," Yuiko said, smiling meekly.

"Oh yeah!" B yelled, gesturing grandly. "You can come along to cheer me on! They'll be jealous when they see I got a lady drooling over my brawn!"

Yuiko smiled, her eyebrow twitching slightly.

—

 _Hey Yuiko, what are you up to today?_

 _Oh, you know, just watching a jinchūriki wrestle a panda the size of a building in a sumo ring surrounded by a group of other giant bears._

 _As usual, then?_

" _Stop being so melodramatic,"_ Kokuō interrupted.

The panda leapt at Killer B, who stood motionless as two tentacles erupted from his back, blocking the bear's claws. The tentacles shoved the bear out of the ring with seemingly little effort. "You'll have to try harder than that, fool! Ya fool!"

Yuiko was standing a few feet outside the ring, having distanced herself as much as possible from the other giant bears. Some of them looked at her as if they were weighing how much trouble they would get in with B if they tried to eat her. As much fun as B seemed to be having, Yuiko wasn't really in the mood to fight a monster bear. Even so, she doubted she could do it with as much finesse as B, anyway.

Yuiko had to admit that his abilities were impressive. She had never been in a situation where she could manipulate that much of Kokuō's chakra without bringing on undue attention. As a result, she wasn't very good at it. B seemed capable of manipulating the Eight-Tails chakra outside his body with as much ease as if they were extra limbs. She found watching someone wield the power of a Tailed-Beast so effortlessly kind of inspiring.

"On this island, I'm top dog! Taking y'all down like a whirlwind clearing the fog!" Killer B exclaimed, smiling at Yuiko. She returned his smile, giving him a shaky thumbs-up. 'Just smile and nod' was a trick Yamato taught her a few years back when dealing with people that made her nervous. Her cheeks were practically on fire from the smile that had been plastered on her face for the past hour now.

B froze, suddenly lost in thought. After a moment, he walked up to her, putting out his fist. "Eight-O is requesting a chat. I wanna meet your Tailed Beast too, if you're cool with that."

Yuiko's smile was quickly replaced with a hopeful expression.

 _Finally! Now's my chance!_

"Yeah, okay!" she said. Yuiko put out her fist, touching it against his. She blinked, and the giant form of the Eight-Tails, Gyūki, filled her vision. Killer B crossed his arms as he lay back comfortably upon the beast's muzzle. Yuiko was lying on her stomach atop Kokuō's head. The two beasts seemed to be floating in a pitch-black void without anything even hinting as a floor.

 _This is where the Eight-Tail's resides? That's depressing._

"It's been a long time, Kokuō," Gyūki said, its voice booming in Yuiko's ears.

"Indeed it has," Kokuō responded. "It seems we have both had the good fortune to find humans worthy of our companionship in that time."

Gyūki nodded in agreement. "I was a mess before B. I was filled with so much hate, for such a long time. I owe him much for helping me to remember who I was." Despite the fact that the beast had no pupils, Yuiko still found the Eight-Tails oddly expressive. The way it gingerly tilted its head as it spoke revealed its concern for B's comfort upon its muzzle. Even though this place was just a mindscape where it didn't really matter, the Eight-Tales was still looking out for B.

"My little mouse," Kokuō said, looking up at Yuiko, "reminded me of the love that exists in this world. She had so much to give, and opening my heart to her has made me happier than I ever thought I could be."

 _It's like two parents bragging over their children,_ Yuiko thought, slightly embarrassed.

"The child, Naruto," Gyūki said. B seemed to perk up, sitting a little straighter. "I want to know your opinion of him," the beast continued. "Your honest opinion."

Kokuō glanced up at Yuiko before bringing its gaze back to the Eight-Tails. "Well," Kokuō said, "he's a slob."

"Kokuō!" Yuiko shouted. She stood up, bending over so she could glare into the beast's piercing blue eye.

"It's true," Kokuō stated, turning up its nose. "He doesn't pick up after himself, making you do it for him. It's quite rude."

"Come on, Kokuō," Yuiko pleaded.

"In honesty," Kokuō continued, "he can be brash and clueless regarding other people's feelings. However …"

The corners of Kokuō's mouth lifted as it looked up at Yuiko. "He, too, is full of love. And he loves Yuiko; I can tell. I have a hard time believing that anyone who loves Yuiko could be a bad person, deep down."

Yuiko let out a sigh of relief. She met Kokuō's gaze with a soft smile.

"He's a little young for you, don't ya think?" B shouted, pointing at Yuiko accusingly. "That makes you ... a cradle-robbing freak!"

Yuiko's head snapped up, fire burning behind her eyes. Killer B flinched.

"It's not like that, fool! Ya fool!" Yuiko shouted back.

B looked surprised, then grinned. "Eight-O thinks I should give the brat a chance. He might not be as bad as he seemed at first glance."

B pulled back his fist, and Yuiko blinked as the world filled in around her. B tilted his head back slightly, seemingly looking up at nothing.

"I'm feeling on a whim, that Killer B should go for a swim!" he shouted, waving his arms dramatically through the air.

 _I think he may actually be insane,_ Yuiko thought.

"You better head back to avoid gettin' gnawed," B said, indicating the bears behind him. "None of the beasts here have been de-clawed!" With that, Killer B bounded off into the forest. Yuiko raised her head to regard the giant bears, who were slowly moving in.

"Eh?"


	52. Chapter 52

_15 … 16 … 17 …_

Yuiko sighed as the ground approached. She gave up on keeping count of the number of times she'd spun through the air. Finally, she slammed into the dirt, phasing her nose through the ground to keep it from breaking.

 _Don't get up. Don't get up. Just stay here forever._

Yuiko's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of clapping. She shifted her head, glaring daggers at Aoba, who sat casually against a large tree trunk at the edge of the clearing. His smile widened as she regarded him, and he picked up the tempo of his applause.

"How about you give it a try?" Yuiko spat, pushing herself up onto her arms.

"Nah, I'm good," Aoba said, putting his hands behind his head as he leaned back.

"Ah, ready for another round, Yuiko? Your passion is admirable; it sings with the excitement of youth!" Guy shouted, flashing a wide grin. He crouched slightly, the sand sliding beneath his feet as he struck a pose ready for combat.

Yuiko had returned to the lodge after her meeting with B only to find that Naruto and Yamato had disappeared somewhere into the forest for some training. It was then that she ran into Aoba and Guy, the latter of which finally seemed on his way to a full recovery from his seasickness. Guy wanted to make sure he was back to his 'full embodiment of youth,' as he'd put it, and begged Yuiko for a sparring session until she reluctantly gave in.

Yuiko was one of Guy's favorite sparring partners, even though her taijutsu was nowhere near his level. No, what Guy liked about Yuiko was the fact that she kept getting back up. She was one of the more resilient shinobi of Konoha, and certainly one of the most stubborn. Her aversion to pain was far outstripped by her aversion to defeat — well, at least for the first 14 rounds or so. After that, her commitment declined rapidly as she came to the conclusion that, once again, she was no more than a glorified punching bag when it came to Guy.

Yuiko slowly rose to her feet, every part of her body aching in dismay. She had to take the full force of everything Guy threw at her, since trying to phase only made things worse. The instant Guy noticed Yuiko phasing through an attack, he would open up the first gate of the Eight Inner Gates formation to disturb the flow of chakra throughout his body. Yuiko had ended up with a broken radius bone last time that happened, and hadn't dared to try her luck again after that.

"Hey, how about we all break for lunch?" Aoba said, getting to his feet.

Yuiko looked at him like he was an angel descended from heaven. Guy simply laughed.

"Already?" Guy shouted, shaking his head. "Aoba, you seem to be on a different level than the hot-blooded combatants who stand before you. We spent days bedridden at sea; our energetic demeanors demand that we make up for that lost time by reconditioning our muscles to their most vigorous state!"

"You were the only one bedridden, you know," Aoba said flatly. He shrugged halfheartedly. "Alright then, I'll be back at the lodge."

Yuiko lifted her arm weakly in his direction, watching as her lifeline began to leave the clearing.

"Ah, there you all are!" a voice from behind her said.

Yuiko and Aoba turned about as Motoi entered the clearing. The way he was carrying himself indicated that he was in a much more jovial mood than they had seen him before. "I came to inform you of the location Master B is training Naruto," he said.

 _So he really is doing it,_ Yuiko thought, her expression brightening.

"Good to hear," Aoba said, approaching Motoi. "They seemed to get off on the wrong foot earlier; I was a little worried."

"Naruto is an admirable child. He reminds me of Master B when he was younger," Motoi said with a nod. "Going up against that squid, I could tell that he's not as strong yet, but Master B will have him there in no time."

"Squid?" Aoba said, raising his eyebrows. "He fought the giant squid?"

"Uh," Motoi said, suddenly looking embarrassed. "Well, that part isn't really important. The important part is —"

"Wait, no," Aoba said, leaning forward. "I have _so_ many questions."

"This is a fascinating training method I've never heard of before!" Guy said, bounding up next to Aoba. "Please elaborate! I would like to learn the method behind this squid-style fighting technique!"

Yuiko looked on thoughtfully as Motoi babbled something about Killer B fending off the giant squid again. Aoba calmly tried to get Motoi to elaborate while Guy shouted over him asking Motoi to confirm his assumptions about squid-style taijutsu.

 _He said B fought that squid,_ Yuiko thought, her eyes widening. So _he really did have to go for a swim. Huh._

"Anyway!" Motoi shouted, his jovial demeanor now a thing of the past. "Naruto is at the Falls of Truth, fighting his true self!"

Guy and Aoba fell silent. Motoi sighed in relief.

"I have some questions," Aoba said flatly.

"His true self!" Guy shouted, throwing his fist into the air. "Brilliant! Who could be a greater opponent than one's own self? I can't believe Naruto is going through such harsh training! I can't ignore a young man struggling during the springtime of his youth! We must show him our support!"

"You should yell louder next time," Aoba said, rubbing his ear. "I don't think they heard you on the other side of the island."

Yuiko was at Guy's side in an instant, slapping her hand over his mouth when he inhaled sharply.

"Sorry," she said, regarding Motoi.

"It's … alright," Motoi said, wondering what Konoha's selection criteria were when it came to sending him their shinobi.

.

* * *

.

"What? Your true self appears within the waterfall?"

"That's right," Motoi said, nodding at Guy. "Naruto came face-to-face with his true self here, and defeated it."

The group stood before a roaring waterfall, regarding the small island in the center of the pond at its base. The grassy area where they stood was surrounded by a ring of trees which ended abruptly at the rock face supporting the waterfall.

"It sounds like something out of a fairy tale," Yuiko said, craning her head up to admire the rainbows shimmering within the waterfall's spray.

"It is no tale," Motoi said, picking up on her tone. "Facing one's other self has been a valuable training experience for generations of shinobi who have come to this island."

Aoba hummed in amusement. "Maybe one of us should give it a try," he said with a smirk.

"I've had enough training for today," Yuiko said mildly. She also had serious doubts about the sincerity of Motoi's statement, since she sensed nothing out of the ordinary from the falls.

"How about you, Guy?" Aoba said playfully.

"Don't be an idiot!" Guy said, a little too defensively. "We have to go and help Naruto!"

Aoba couldn't restrain himself from picking the low-hanging fruit. "It sounds like you're afraid to face your true self," he teased. "Is that it?"

"What?" Guy said, letting out a nervous laugh. "I'm not scared!"

"What about you?"

Aoba turned back to Yuiko, who was watching him passively. "Of course not," he grinned. "I was just fooling around. How about we get going, huh?"

Yuiko's eyes narrowed. "You didn't seem in a hurry before."

Aoba laughed as he waved his hand in a carefree manner. "It was just a joke! Probably nothing would happen, anyway."

"Oh ho?" Guy said, his confidence returning with the pressure now off him. He stood with his hands on his hips, fixing Aoba with a devilish grin. "It sounds like you have been offered a challenge, Aoba! It would be unbecoming of an elite Konoha jōnin to back down from a trial of bravery!"

Aoba laughed again, although this time it came off as a bit forced. "Come on, you guys. I'm sure Captain Yamato is waiting for us."

"They're probably just training," Yuiko shrugged. "We'd only be standing there, anyway."

The corner of Aoba's mouth twitched. "Motoi!" he shouted, whipped his head around. "I'm sure this 'Falls of Truth' business is a very serious endeavor for the shinobi of Kumo. I certainly wouldn't want to offend any customs by taking part in such an important tradition."

Motoi had been regarding their conversation with a cold expression. It was clear that Yuiko and Aoba's dismissive attitudes toward the falls weren't sitting with him the right way. The fact that Motoi appeared unwilling to cooperate, however, was what Aoba was banking on.

Aoba smiled in relief. His expression flipped to a grimace as a slow smile crept over the Kumo shinobi's face. "The training exercise is open to anyone," Motoi said. "Although, few are actually capable of overcoming their true self. Only shinobi of the strongest will are skilled enough for that."

Guy laughed heartily. "See, Aoba? You have nothing to fear!" He clapped Aoba on the back, sending the man stumbling a few feet forward. Aoba's carefree demeanor was on the verge of crumbling as he regarded the faces around him.

"Well, no problem then!" he said, his voice _almost_ conveying that he actually believed it.

Aoba adjusted his sunglasses, walking purposely over the water and coming to a stop on the small island. He glanced back with a nervous expression to see if anyone was going to stop him. Guy was grinning from ear-to-ear, and he shot him an enthusiastic thumbs-up. Yuiko's expression was much more indifferent, but she mimicked Guy's gesture. Aoba turned back to the falls, swallowing hard. "A-alright," he said, sitting down, "here it goes. No big deal."

Aoba went still. Yuiko crossed her arms, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Aoba was probably right when he said that they should go meet up with Yamato, but she was still a little bitter over his reaction to her getting her ass kicked earlier. Goading him into facing the Falls of Truth was petty, but it wasn't like anything was going to happen anyway. Aoba was probably just sitting there trying to think up of a good story to tell them after he grows board with the charade.

"Hmm?" Guy said, a wrinkle forming between his prominent brows. "Could this be Aoba's 'true self?'"

A shadow had appeared within the waterfall, growing rapidly larger.

"You have got to be kidding," Yuiko said, watching in awe.

A large spray of water erupted from the waterfall as an object shot out toward Aoba. As the water fell away, Yuiko could see that the creature had a humanoid face with grey skin and beady eyes lined with a gill-like pattern on each cheek. Its body was a long tube wrapped in bandages, with short, grey spikes poking out randomly.

 _Its face looks familiar,_ Yuiko thought in shock. _But not like Aoba … like something else I've seen before. What the hell is it?_

Aoba let out a yelp as he tried to scramble backwards. There was a flash of green to Yuiko's right, and Guy was suddenly flying forward to meet the creature. Just as it was about to descend on Aoba, Guy hit it squarely across the chest with a jab from his elbow. Yuiko winced, almost feeling sorry for the strange creature as it flew back, crashing into the thick stone flanking the waterfall. As the dust and spray cleared, she could see the creature lying motionless in a larger crater. Guy looked down to study Aoba for a moment before holding out his hand. "Are you injured?"

Aoba took Guy's hand, shakily getting to his feet. "No," he said. He glanced over to see Yuiko and Motoi watching him, a blush rising on his cheeks. "It just surprised me; that's all," he said, adjusting his glasses. Aoba stood straight as he corrected his flak jacket and strode toward the creature. "I'll take it from here, Guy."

Aoba stopped before the dazed creature. He looked down at it with disdain before pointing at it accusingly. "I _do not_ cover up my insecurities through humor! And I've never doubted for one second that the red sunglasses look cool!"

Motoi loudly cleared his throat. "Your contact with your true self stopped the moment that thing disrupted the waterfall."

Aoba stood stock still for a moment before taking a step back from the creature. "Obviously that isn't me," he said. "It doesn't look a thing like me … right?"

Guy nodded, putting his chin in his hand. "But, I'm sure I've seen it before."

 _Him too?_ Yuiko thought, racking her memory. _If Guy also recognizes it …_

"It's … a puffer fish!" Guy shouted, pointing at the crater. Yuiko flinched.

The waterfall suddenly parted again, Killer B coming to a quick halt as he took in the scene. His expression brightened as he regarded the creature's state. "That thing is an Akatsuki spy! He was hangin' round us, bein' real sly!" he said enthusiastically. "If he escapes, he'll get intel on us! That could make things real dangerous!"

"A spy?" Yuiko said, her eyes widening. _Wait … I've seen his face in the Bingo Book. He was the one partnered with Itachi. That's Kisame Hoshigaki! It was reported that Killer B and the Raikage killed him, though. How in the world is he here?!_

The spiky object that had been enclosing Kisame's body suddenly retreated, as if it was spitting Kisame out. Its body flopped, to Yuiko's amazement, over to B, and wriggled up against his arm. Her jaw dropped as she realized the object was B's sword. It was apparently a sentient thing on its own, and gurgled happily in B's arms. B stroked its scaly hide, cooing at it as if it was a harmless house pet.

"That's ... kinda creepy," Aoba stated. Yuiko couldn't help but agree.

 _But wait, he carried that thing everywhere … including when I introduced myself to him. Shit!_

She snapped her attention back to where Kisame had been lying, seeing that he had disappeared.

 _Dammit! I let that stupid sword distract me._

Yuiko noticed a black shadow moving in the water. "B!" she yelled, jumping back onto dry land.

Killer B ignored her, continuing his one-sided banter with the sword.

"B! He's taking your chakra!" Motoi yelled, running onto the water.

 _What's happening? Why would that sword be taking his chakra?_

"All of you get off the water!" Yuiko shouted. Motoi ignored her, his attention fixated on B. Aoba leapt to her side, with Guy jumping back to the small island.

B suddenly fell to his knees, looking pale. Kisame's head popped up on the surface, a smirk on his face as he held the hilt of the sword. He was looking plumper now, and didn't make an immediate move to flee.

 _He used the sword as an instrument to take B's chakra,_ Yuiko thought. _I had heard that B's sword possessed that ability, but I didn't think it could be used outside of combat._

Yuiko's eyes darted momentarily from Kisame to regard Aoba. He gave her a nod. Yuiko returned her attention to Kisame and began to stalk along the right side of the pond while Aoba took the left, leaving Guy in the middle.

Guy leapt toward Kisame, who reached his arm above the water to parry a kick aimed at his face. Yuiko shot forward with a kunai in hand, Kisame quickly ducking beneath the water. Yuiko and Guy both retreated to the small island as they watched the water intently. Yuiko didn't dare to follow him, even with her phasing jutsu; fighting someone like Kisame in his element could easily be fatal.

"Water Style!" a voice shouted. Yuiko turned to see that Kisame had partially resurfaced a few feet away from them. "Shark Bomb Jutsu!"

Water erupted around Kisame, forming the shape of a shark. It swallowed him up, jettisoning itself into the air. The shark flew away at high speed above the trees.

 _A flying shark? What the hell?!_

"It's all over if he gets past the barrier!" Motoi shouted. "We need to stop him!"

"Leave it to me!" Guy yelled enthusiastically. "Eight Inner Gates! The Sixth Gate of Joy: Open!"

Guy's skin glowed a reddish hue, green light shining from his entire body as a wave of heat radiated from him. Yuiko covered her nose at the stench of sweat rolled over her.

"By yourself you'd be too slow!" B shouted, his right hand twisting and bulging as he spoke. "With the help of the Eight-Tails, in the way of the Shark-Freak I'll throw!"

Guy leapt onto B's open palm, which had now grown large enough to comfortably contain him. B cried out, throwing Guy into the sky with all his might. Yuiko caught the gleam of the headband Guy kept around his waist up in the sky before Guy vanished entirely.

"B," Yuiko said. "Can you —?"

Yuiko looked down at the sound of a splash — B had collapsed face-first into the water. She quickly knelt down to flip him over.

"I'm ... Okay," he said, exhausted. "I'll be good to go … right away." B's body started to sink below the water. Yuiko looped her arms under his shoulders to drag him onto the grass. She set him down gently as Aoba and Motoi approached to assess him.

"B," Yuiko said urgently. "Where are Naruto and Yamato?"

"The two of them are doin' alright; they should be here in a flash to join in the fight," B said weakly.

Yuiko nodded. "I'm going after Guy then," she said, straightening up. "Aoba, get Yamato on my trail immediately."

"Right!" she heard him call out from behind her as she leapt into the forest.


	53. Chapter 53

Yuiko ran as fast as she was able, phasing her body through the trees and rock spikes that blocked her path.

 _Even from here, I can pick up Guy's scent perfectly without the need to heighten my sense of smell. It's conveniently disgusting._

Yuiko was making good time. She could already see the shore whenever she popped above the tree line, although she didn't spot anyone on the water. Trying not to panic as she approached the oceanfront, Yuiko came to a stop upon one of the countless large stone spikes that sprouted along the edge of the island. She shaded her eyes with one hand while scanning the horizon. Guy's scent was certainly still detectable, but he was nowhere to be seen. Yuiko cursed her poor sensory abilities. If Guy was underwater, all she could do was phase under and hope that the visibility would be clear enough for her to find him before it was too late.

A large patch of water suddenly began to shine in silver light. A swirling sphere of seawater rose above the surface. Yuiko gaped at it, noting that the sphere was at least the size of the ship they had sailed on to the island. The orb was steadily increasing in size and whipped up the seawater into a frothy vortex as it spun.

Without warning, the orb burst apart. The resulting blast of air nearly threw Yuiko off her perch. She activated her phase in time to avoid the ensuing tidal wave that filled her vision. For a few seconds, everything in her line of sight was completely underwater. Rays of sunlight shimmered over the trees, the tops of which swayed in the water like seaweed. It was almost peaceful … until the water began to rapidly recede. Trees were torn from their roots and tumbled past as they were sucked into the ocean. Boulders whizzed overhead and the stone spike beneath Yuiko jerked forward, but thankfully stayed put.

Yuiko's perch soon resurfaced and she deactivated her phase. She was subsequently soaked by the seawater that had been flung skyward and was now succumbing to gravity, but she hardly noticed as she stared at a familiar figure.

Guy was standing atop the water where the orb had once been. His body was encased in a glowing blue light, his skin a deep crimson. Floating face-up beneath his feet seemed to be Kisame. Yuiko looked on in amazement. If what she had just seen had been Guy … that kind of power was something she thought only Tailed Beasts could be capable of.

Without any warning, Guy flung his fist into Kisame's stomach. His opponent let out a choking cry of pain. Yuiko winced, noting that she really shouldn't be feeling bad for a member of the Akatsuki. However, she couldn't help but feel some sympathy having been on the receiving end of Guy's taijutsu.

Guy raised his head and looked about, pausing when he spotted her. Yuiko timidly raised one hand, giving him a wave.

"Oi, Yuiko!" He shouted, returning her wave with gusto. "No need to worry; I got the spy! Sorry you came all this way — I didn't leave you much to do, did I?" Guy threw back his head with a laugh.

He brought his attention back to his feet and noticed that Kisame's unconscious body had sunk beneath the surface. Guy began to scramble over the water, hastily reaching down to lift up his opponent.

Yuiko brushed her wet hair off her face before heading down to meet Guy over the water. Guy had flung Kisame's body over his shoulder, and the blue aura had faded to return him to his normal appearance. Yuiko suddenly stopped her approach as if she had hit an invisible wall.

"Hmm?" Guy said, watching her curiously. "What's bothering you, Yuiko?"

"N-nothing," Yuiko said, continuing her approach. The truth was that Guy smelled as if a bag of sweaty jumpsuits had been stuffed into a rotting whale carcass. Luckily, Yuiko could counteract this effect by activating her phase on her nose.

Yuiko matched Guy's stride as the two of them returned to the island. Guy was walking at a slow pace — which for everyone else translated to a brisk walk. Yuiko noted that he appeared uninjured, although it was possible that whatever he did was taking a greater toll on him than he was letting on.

The two of them were able to walk right up into the forest, since the wall of stone spikes that had suffered the brunt of the explosion had vanished. Yuiko looked about wide-eyed at the massive holes left behind from the trees that had been sucked out to sea. "Since when have you been so scary, Guy?" she asked, stepping over a tree that had fallen on its side.

Guy seemed to find this amusing. "No need to fear, Yuiko. I'm sure you could elevate yourself to my level with the right amount of dedication!"

Yuiko hopped down from the tree, landing at his side. "I don't know about that," she said skeptically. "I knew you were holding back when we sparred, but I had no idea it was by _that_ much. Strength like that is inhuman."

"Not at all," Guy said, shaking his head. "That level of strength is very human. It's a stage anyone can reach if they accept that there is no limit. True strength is made up by perseverance and the drive to succeed. Trouble only arises when one becomes discouraged and believes that they can no longer rise above their current level. But as long as we are young, we can improve indefinitely!"

"If you say so," Yuiko said, admiring his optimism. "Either way, thanks for not annihilating me during training sessions."

"Don't think you're off the hook, Yuiko," Guy said with a wink. "I've always been curious how I'd hold up against a jinchūriki. In absence of my Eternal Rival, I need someone else to push my limits."

Guy caught something flash behind Yuiko's eyes, but she was quick to regain her pleasant expression. "I didn't know you hated me so much, Guy," she joked.

"Hate you?" Guy said, raising an eyebrow.

"If the two of us fought for real, you'd kill me for sure," Yuiko laughed.

"Don't sell yourself short!" Guy replied. "I'm sure you'd be a challenge!"

Yuiko shook her head. "Kokuō has a lot of raw power, but I don't have much experience using it."

Guy grinned. He shifted Kisame's unconscious form from one shoulder to the other as if the man weighed nothing at all. He clapped his hand on Yuiko's shoulder. "It sounds like I'm not the only one who could benefit from some additional training," he said enthusiastically.

Yuiko went pale. "N-no. That's not what I meant."

"You can't let our young friend Naruto leave you in the dust!" Guy said, punching the air. "You can easily train twice as hard as he can!"

Memories of waking up at three in the morning and being half dead on her feet as Guy ran (literal) circles around her before kicking her to the dirt filled Yuiko's mind. She started to panic. "You can't make me!" she squeaked. "I'm an jōnin now! Kakashi can't order me to —"

Yuiko fell silent. She turned her head away from Guy, clenching her fists. Guy's cheerful expression drained away as he studied her. He waited for Yuiko to continue her train of thought, but she didn't speak.

"Don't worry," Guy said solemnly. Yuiko turned her head, her eyes slightly wet. "He wouldn't be my Eternal Rival if he couldn't take care of himself," he continued, his expression brightening. "The three of us will be together again."

Yuiko met his gaze. She looked conflicted for a moment before smiling softly. "I'm glad you're here, Guy," she said. Guy beamed down at her; Yuiko stumbling slightly as he clapped her lightheartedly across the back.

—

The two of them came across the rest of their group in a large, grassy clearing about two miles from shore. B seemed to have recovered, and Yamato and Naruto were alright just as he had said. Aoba and Motoi regarded the captive Akatsuki member with a look of relief. Guy tossed Kisame off his shoulder as they reached the center of the clearing.

"Good work, you two," Yamato said, quickly activating a jutsu that sealed Kisame within a wooden stockade.

"I'm not even going to attempt to take any credit for this one," Yuiko said, smiling up at Guy.

"He was no match for the overwhelming power of youth! Poor guy never stood a chance," Guy said, striking a pose to Naruto's admiration.

Yuiko circled around Kisame, who still showed no sign of waking. "So what do we do with him?" she asked. Yamato looked to Aoba, who nodded in understanding of his serious expression.

Aoba approached Kisame, a stern look on his face. "I'm not as good as Inoichi," he said, placing his hand upon Kisame's forehead, "but if I'm able to do this, we can get some valuable intel on the Akatsuki and the identity of its leader. Here I go."

He placed the palm of his other hand on his own forehead, growing silent. It took Yuiko a few seconds to figure out what was happening before she recalled Aoba's special ability. She watched curiously, having never seen the Mind Transmission technique in person. She couldn't count the number of times she had aided Yamato in transferring a prisoner to the Intel Collection Department, but only Anbu captains were allowed inside the interrogation chamber.

"Can he really read that guy's mind, just like that?" Naruto asked, impressed.

"Mmm," Yamato nodded. "Aoba was being modest; he's one of the top users of the Mind Transmission technique in the village. He can filter through days of information in only a few minutes. It might take him a little longer, in this instance, if this man has any blockers on his memory, but he should be able to break through within an hour."

Naruto nodded, a serious expression on his face as he watched Aoba. After a few minutes he started to fidget, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He looked around the clearing, his eyes shining with glee when a thought hit him. He stepped around Yamato, scooting next to Yuiko. "Hey, Yuiko," he whispered, poking her with his elbow. Yuiko looked over at him, raising her eyebrows expectedly. "Wanna see something cool?" Naruto said, a wide grin growing on his face as he fought to keep his voice down.

"Alright," Yuiko said skeptically. "And you don't have to whisper." Yuiko second guessed her statement, looking to Yamato for verification.

"We don't have to keep our voices down," Yamato confirmed. "Just don't get too close, physical contact could cause Aoba to lose his concentration."

"No problem!" Naruto said, grabbing Yuiko by the wrist and dragging her to the other side of the clearing. Naruto let go of her arm, jogging a few more paces before whipping around to face her. "I've got the Nine-Tails under control now!" he smiled. "Check this out!"

Yuiko looked on in awe as Naruto's skin caught alight. He stood before her, his entire body looking like it had been encased in glowing, yellow flames. The swirl pattern of the Uzumaki clan was imprinted in black on his stomach, with a prong-like pattern reaching around it.

 _He's created an entirely new seal,_ Yuiko thought, impressed. _Guy was right; Naruto is already leaving me behind._

Yuiko slowly walked around him, studying the markings of the seal. Naruto stood still, only turning his head to keep her in his beaming expression.

"The Nine-Tails isn't giving you this chakra willingly," Yuiko said, her expression growing grim. Naruto's smile wavered. He crossed his arms as he put on a carefree expression.

"Yeah, well, that guy is pretty stubborn," he said. "But I'll get him to come around."

Yuiko smiled softly as she came to a stop before him. "I'm sure you will," she said. "The fact that you're able to control so much of its chakra on your own is pretty impressive. Just be careful not to draw on it too much; Kokuō has explained to me before what can happen if the Tailed Beast and jinchūriki fight over chakra."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Naruto said dismissively, putting his hands behind his head. "Octopops already told me about all that. I'll be careful, alright?"

"Alright," Yuiko chuckled. "I trust you."

Naruto smiled back at her, something popping up in his memory. A hint of sadness flashed across his face as he dismissed his chakra mode. "I saw my mom," he said. He was smiling, although his eyes seemed to convey a more melancholy expression.

"Kushina was …?" Yuiko's voice trailed off, recalling the trace amount of Minato's chakra she had sensed in Naruto's seal before.

 _They must have put some of her in there, too._

Yuiko looked back at Naruto, unsure of what to say. Luckily, Naruto had that covered. "She was a lot like me!" he chirped. "I wish I had gotten her hair color, though. Red would have been way cooler!"

Yuiko laughed at the mental image. "She did have pretty hair, but I can't really picture you with it."

"What?" Naruto said, his boisterous nature returning in full force. "I think it would be awesome! Then they could call me the 'Red Hot Naruto'!"

Yuiko laughed again; it had been awhile since she last heard Kushina's ridiculous nickname.

"I am kind of glad I didn't get her temper though," Naruto said, furrowing his brow. "She could get kind of scary. Like when I told her about how you left when I was little, oh man was she furious."

"WHY?!"

Yuiko was before him faster than he thought humanly possible. He flinched as she dug her fingers into his shoulders, a crazed expression in her eyes as she put her face inches from his. "Why would you tell her that?!"

Naruto recoiled, having never seen Yuiko with such a panicked expression. "I … I couldn't lie to my mom."

"No — you lie to her!" Yuiko shouted, removing her hands from his shoulders to bury them in her hair. "Your dad, you tell the truth. But your mom is the one you lie to if you don't want everything destroyed!" Yuiko turned away, bowing her head. "I can never die now. I'm going to have to live forever. If she finds me in the afterlife, I might as well be in hell."

Naruto burst out laughing, hugging himself around the middle. Yuiko glared at him from the corner of her eye.

"Mom said that would make you freak out," Naruto grinned, peering up at her. Yuiko's expression softened at the realization.

"Sorry," Naruto continued, wiping the corner of his eye. "When I told Mom you were around, she said this would be her last chance to get a good prank in."

Yuiko turned back to him, crossing her arms. "I'm still mad at you," she said, although the statement was counteracted by the smirk growing on her face.

"Like that'll last," Naruto said, putting his arms behind his head. "This isn't even as bad as what I did to the kitchen."

Yuiko reached out to ruffle his hair, quickly pulling her arm out of the way as Naruto flailed his arms about in defense.

"Children," Yamato called from across the clearing. He smirked, indicating them to come closer with a tilt of his head.

"Who is he calling a kid?" Naruto grumbled, feigning offense. Yuiko started to reply, when her attention was caught by a muffled scream. Her eyes snapped to Kisame, whose head was flailing about as blood exploded from his mouth.

"His tongue!" Aoba exclaimed, pulling his hand away. "He bit off his own tongue to wake himself up!"

Naruto and Yuiko exchanged a worried look, quickening their pace.

Kisame laughed maniacally, flexing his muscles in an unexpected show of strength. He broke free of the stockade, flinging Aoba backward as the group shielded themselves from the barrage of splinters.

"He doesn't know when to quit!" Guy yelled, balling his hands into fists.

"Capture him alive!" Aoba shouted from the ground. "We might not get a chance like this again!"

A stream of water burst from Kisame's mouth, forming a writhing globe around him. Guy dashed to take down Kisame with a punch, but his arm was unable to reach him through the rushing water.

"Move!" Yuiko shouted, running toward the sphere. Guy leapt back as Yuiko's fist entered the water, phasing through it. A mass of steam erupted from Kisame's outstretched hand, and Yuiko's punch instead landed on a summoned shark, knocking it out of the water sphere. The creature flew back, hitting a tree along the edge of the clearing with a sickening 'crack.'

Yuiko's momentum pushed her through the sphere, the two sharks still circling Kisame snapping at her as she phased through. Yuiko exited the water, turning on her heel as Kisame smirked at her.

"Don't panic!" Yamato shouted. "He's in a situation he can't escape from."

Suddenly, one of the sharks turned on its master, engulfing the man's face in its jaws. The other shark did the same, mercilessly tearing his body to pieces. The group watched in shock as the sharks made quick work of Kisame. The sphere, now permeated with his blood, exploded as the last of his chakra faded, and the sharks fell to the ground, poofing out of existence one by one. No one spoke for nearly a minute as they stared at the grass in disbelief.

"The Akatsuki member feared as the Scourge of Kirigakure," Yamato whispered. "It's hard to believe this is how he met his end."

"He did that so we couldn't get any intel," Naruto said, sternly regarding the blood-stained grass. "Even in the Akatsuki there was someone who put his comrades first."

Yuiko looked at Naruto in surprise. _You can find the good in just about anyone, can't you?_ She thought.

"He may have been a foe, but he died admirably," Guy said, solemnly placing his hand upon Naruto's shoulder. "In any case, no intel was leaked." He reached into the breast pocket of his jacket, producing a scroll.

Motoi regarded the scroll with a grave expression. "We should go over the contents," he stated. "If we know what he was after, it will make counterintelligence easier."

Guy nodded in concurrence. "You're right," he replied, pulling at the edge of the scroll.

"Wait!" Yuiko shouted.

"Guy! Don't just —" Yamato yelled.

Water gushed up from the scroll like a geyser, engulfing them. The pressure from the water pushed down heavily upon Yuiko, attempting to force itself into her lungs.

 _A Water Prison jutsu?!_

Yuiko phased through the water, gasping for air as she landed on all fours outside the sphere. She raised her head, noting that everyone else had been trapped in water spheres as well. The scroll floated about them, releasing sharks into the globes as it passed.

 _And a summon? His seal can do all of that, post-mortem? Who was this guy?_

The scroll released a shark into her now-empty sphere, then started to spin in the air. Water shot out from one end of the scroll until it too was encased in water. Another shark popped out of the seal, snapping up the scroll in its jaws. The shark began to swim, moving the sphere through the air and toward the forest. Yuiko dashed under it and placed herself beneath the shark. She reached up, phasing through the water and the shark to wrap her fingers around the scroll. After it was imbued with her chakra, she pulled it back out.

Yuiko came to a stop at the edge of the clearing. The shark she had grabbed the scroll from turned about and began to circle her. The shark residing in the empty water prison joined it, and Yuiko watched cautiously as the two creatures closed in.

Yuiko cried out as a sharp pain ran up her arm. She looked down in alarm. The head of a shark had sprouted from the scroll in her hand, and had sunk its teeth deep within her forearm. Before she could react, another object launched itself from the scroll, its shape growing larger until she was staring back at another shark. Yuiko scrambled backwards as more and more sharks flew from the scroll, writhing and snapping at her from the grass. The two sharks in the orbs swooped down at her in an effort to rip off her arm. Yuiko phased through the attempt, pulling her bloody appendage to her side. She cursed when she noticed that the shark bite made her release her grip on the scroll.

The two flying sharks converged on something within the writhing mass before rising up in the air and taking off in opposite directions.

 _Shit._

Yuiko went after the one going left, leaping and phasing through the other sharks as she entered the forest. It didn't take her long to catch up to it, considering she could phase through the trees while the shark had to zigzag around them. Yuiko reached up and grabbed the retreating shark from around its tail. She dragged it down with all her might, a spray of water erupting from the orb as the shark was pulled free. The shark smacked against the ground, Yuiko following up with a punch to its eye. The shark disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Yuiko's eyes darted over the ground, an irate expression growing over her face. The scroll was nowhere to be seen.


	54. Chapter 54

Yuiko returned to a state of pure pandemonium. It seemed that everyone had been able to release themselves from the Water Prison jutsu, but over a dozen sharks were still flopping and snapping at them over the grass.

"Get back!" Yamato shouted. Motoi and Naruto retreated into the trees. Aoba, Guy, and B were nowhere to be seen.

Yamato slammed his palm onto the grass. A series of wooden spears shot up from the ground, skewering the sharks. The clearing was clouded in grey smoke as the summons disappeared.

"Yuiko!" Yamato called out. Yuiko watched as his silhouette grew more defined through the smoke. He stopped before her, his eyes glancing over her bloody arm before returning to her face. Yuiko lowered her eyes, shaking her head. Yamato exhaled deeply. "B was able to free himself shortly before I did," he said. "I'm not clear on the details, but I think he ran off after something. Hopefully he caught up to it."

"Is everyone alright?" Yuiko asked, following Yamato as he turned around and walked back into the clearing.

"For the most part," Yamato said. Naruto and Motoi had jumped down from the trees, and Aoba appeared from the tree line with Guy's arm slung over his shoulder. Aoba gently put Guy down in the grass, his companion yelping in pain.

"Uh, Captain Yamato?" Naruto asked. "Is Bushier Brow-Sensei going to be okay?"

Guy's face was frozen in a look of extreme discomfort. Yamato knelt down next to him, Naruto and Yuiko joining him.

"I don't see any bite marks," Yuiko said, her brow furrowed.

"No, it's not that," Yamato stated. "The after effects of the Eight Inner Gates are starting to kick in. During that time, his entire nervous system becomes overly sensitive; even the slightest touch will cause him extreme pain."

"Really?" Naruto said. He put out a finger, lowering it slowly toward Guy's chest.

"Naruto!" Yuiko snapped, causing Naruto to pull back his finger with a flinch. "Show some respect! Even if he did open an unknown scroll, completely bypassing standard safety protocols, leading to vital information being leaked to the enemy —"

"Yuiko!" Yamato yelped.

"What?" she said flatly, looking down to see that her hands were moving of their own accord as they pulled at Guy's cheeks. Guy gurgled softly, having passed out from the pain. "Oops," she said, releasing her grip.

"Maybe it will be better if the two of you go after B," Yamato sighed. Naruto and Yuiko got to their feet, but at that moment B emerged from the tree line.

Aoba and Motoi had retreated to the other end of the clearing for a hushed conversation out of Naruto's earshot. Their whispering stopped when Motoi spotted B. "How did it go?" he asked as B walked past him.

"Not good, fool. Ya fool," B said, slightly dejected. "That shark gave me the slip; didn't even have the chance to catch it in my grip!"

Yuiko and Yamato exchanged a worried glance. A major intel leak happening on Day 1 of their time on the island wasn't making the situation look good by any means.

—

"This isn't going to work," Yuiko whispered.

"It has to," Yamato replied. They stood a few feet away, watching as Aoba outlined the fake S-Rank mission to Naruto.

Motoi had returned to the lodge to deal with the security breach. He seemed irritated, but he assured them that there was a backup plan and not to worry. In the meantime, Naruto was starting to ask questions about Kisame's appearance and the jōnin decided that now would be a good time to distract him by outlining his "mission".

The fake mission boiled down to Naruto conducting an ecological survey of the animals on the island, creating a report on which of them could be used to fight in the upcoming war. In other words, it was completely ridiculous.

"This is the best you came up with?" Yuiko asked dryly.

"The only other thing this island has a lot of other than dangerous animals are trees. And I couldn't come up with an S-Rank mission involving those," Yamato replied.

"He's not an idiot; he'll figure it out," Yuiko said.

They looked on in silence as Aoba finished reading aloud the "outline" of the mission to Naruto. Yuiko wasn't positive, but she had a feeling that the scroll he was reading from was blank. They watched Naruto intently, waiting for his reaction.

Naruto bowed his head. Yamato sucked air through his teeth, kicking himself for not coming up with something more convincing.

"This is …" Naruto finally said, raising his head, "this is the kind of brainy mission I've been waiting for! Granny Tsunade gets it! She wants to test my leadership skills!"

A beat of silence passed as the jōnin stared at him. Yuiko brought her hand to her mouth, turning away slightly. "I swear I only dropped him once when he was a baby," she mumbled. "That couldn't have done anything though, right?"

"Huh?" Yamato said.

"Uh, nothing," she blurted, turning back to him. Naruto was throttling Aoba with a rapid-fire of follow-up questions, the Jōnin chuckling nervously as he tried to conjure up convincing answers. He was currently trying to tell Naruto that, no, the animals didn't need to be divided by weight class. Or breed. But if he wanted to categorize if they can understand human speech or not — sure, why not?

Yamato was failing at hiding his amusement, glad that Naruto was facing away from him. Every now and then Aoba would glance over for assistance, but Yamato would simply wave for him to continue.

Sensing that Naruto would be running off soon, Yuiko walked over to where Guy was resting in the grass. She knelt down, gently helping him sit up and having him put his arms around her shoulders as she lifted him on her back. The constant pain he was in left Guy swimming in and out of consciousness, but despite all that he abhorrently refused to be taken back to the lodge. It was foolish, but Guy stubbornly stuck to his conviction of looking after Naruto. It wasn't like Yuiko would be doing much anyway, so she didn't mind shuttling him around.

"So, what now?" Yuiko asked, adjusting her grip on Guy's legs as she stepped back up to Yamato.

"We sit tight," Yamato shrugged. "Like Motoi mentioned earlier, the island is being relocated to the Kumogakure region because of the intel leak. We're expected to arrive around the time the divisions are to move out. We'll receive further instructions then."

Yuiko noted the change in Yamato's voice when he mentioned the divisions. They didn't speak for a moment as they watched Naruto dash excitedly off into the forest. "Does it bother you," she said, "that we'll be here, while everyone else is fighting out there?"

"Of course," Yamato said grimly. "But what I'm doing here is important, too. The three of you being kept away from the Akatsuki is an integral piece to winning this war. Besides, I'm used to looking after the two of you by now."

Yuiko smiled. "Oh, so would you say we're 'growing on you'?"

Yamato shot her an incredulous look. "Funny. I've _never_ heard that one before."

"It's because you use Wood-Style!"

"Yeah, I got that," he said with a chuckle as they walked out of the clearing.

—

Yuiko gazed off into the distance of the immense stone room. Motoi had suggested that Naruto conduct the 'ecological survey' within the shell of the giant turtle that was the island. Considering everything else that had happened that day, finding out that the island was actually a living creature didn't shock her as much as it normally would have.

The great walls of the turtle's shell seemed to stretch on forever — which turned out to be a good thing since the number and size of all of the animals present required a lot of room.

Yuiko had set Guy down again as soon as they were settled. Yamato, Motoi, and Aoba were chatting about nothing in particular near the room's entrance. Yuiko had started feeling antsy standing still, and excused herself for a stroll around the interior of the shell. She gnawed at the fingernail of her right thumb as she walked; Yuiko didn't like being idle. She had kept herself preoccupied since getting to the island, which had helped, but the familiar, dull ache was starting to creep back into her chest.

' _Maybe you didn't know me as well as you thought.'_

Yuiko crossed her arms, digging her nails into her skin. Did she really miss something? She must have. She never asked Kakashi about where he went when he would disappear for half the day. She never asked him where he had been when he would arrive late. She never brought up the look of hurt he had on his face when she caught him looking up at the Hokage monument.

 _I was too scared._

Yuiko wasn't an idiot. She knew what the answer was to all of those questions. It was the reason she showed him the memorial stone after Pain's attack. She knew that Kakashi was holding on to the ghosts of his past, mourning their deaths over a decade later. And she knew he did it alone. But she never asked, because there was one question she didn't want to know the answer to: an answer that could be the reason why Kakashi didn't love her.

 _What did you feel during the thirteen years you looked down at Noboru's grave thinking that I had killed him?_

A soft song of rustling leaves filled her ears. Yuiko let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding as Kokuō nudged at her consciousness.

 _I'm alright, Kokuō. Thank you._

" _I'll always be here, little mouse,"_ Kokuō said gently. _"Remember you are not alone."_

 _I know. I'm sorry. I'll talk to you about it later … I'm not quite ready yet._

Warmth washed over Yuiko like someone had thrown a plush blanket over her shoulders. Yuiko smiled as the tension in her chest slowly faded away.

Suddenly, the ground beneath her began to rumble, then jerked to the side, causing everyone — man and beast — to fall to the floor.

"What's going on?!" she yelled to Yamato, who was getting to his feet along with Aoba and Motoi in the distance.

Yamato didn't answer, glancing quickly at Naruto then tilting his head as an indication for her to come over. She rushed to them, phasing through a few of the animals that had fallen in her path.

"The barrier has been breached," she heard Motoi saying as she came closer. "I didn't think they would find us so soon."

There was another rumble, followed by Yuiko being forced flat upon the floor as it rose toward her. A few seconds later the force weakened and Yuiko had to funnel chakra into her hands and knees to remain stuck to the stone. She whipped her head around, trying to stay focused among the rubble and screaming animals flying around her. She looked down, noting that the ceiling was now the floor.

 _The island … flipped?_

Yuiko looked around, spotting a familiar flash of green. She launched herself from the stone and grabbed on to Guy, who yelped as she fastened his arms around her shoulders.

"This will hurt!" she yelled, bracing herself for impact. Beneath them, a full forest of trees sprouted rapidly from the ground. Yuiko landed upon a newly-formed tree branch, which bent back as it absorbed the impact of their fall. Guy cried out in pain, but the impact was far less than it would have been without the tree's assistance. She leapt to the floor, grateful that the layer of grass covering it helped to absorb their landing. She put Guy down as gingerly as possible, and then looked up as Yamato, Motoi, and Aoba approached from the trees. "This was you?" she asked, gesturing to the forest around her as she rose to her feet.

"Mmm," Yamato nodded, studying Guy. "Is he alright?"

"I think so," Yuiko replied, putting her hands on her hips as she glanced about, her eyes landing on Naruto. He was, miraculously, still absorbed in conducting the ecological survey. B sat near him, casually chatting with Naruto over something having to do with a giant armadillo.

"Something must have happened outside," Motoi said, looking sternly up at the ceiling. "But, we have to keep fooling him. We cannot allow any of the jinchūriki to leave this place."

"Really?" Yuiko said, prickling. "If we're under attack, I'm not just going to sit here and do nothing. I'm under obligation to protect him too, you know."

"That's not how this works, Yuiko," Yamato said.

Yuiko's eyes flashed as she scowled at him. "We're still on the island!" she hissed. "As long as we're here, I should be able to follow the same mission objectives as you all."

A guilty look fell over Yamato's face. "The rest of us have a different mission objective than you do."

Anger bubbled in Yuiko's gut. She didn't need to be coddled. Naruto had to be kept in the dark because he was impulsive, but there was no reason she needed to be. There was no reason Lady Tsunade had to go behind her back and undermine her authority on this mission. "I'm second in command of this unit," Yuiko stated.

"For protecting Naruto, you are," Yamato said frankly.

"So then —"

"For protecting _all_ of the jinchūriki," Yamato cut in, "you are not."

The betrayal cut deep. Naruto wasn't the only one who had been handed a false mission. Hers wasn't a complete farce, per say, but the fact that neither Lady Tsunade nor Yamato thought she would be capable of protecting Naruto without also putting herself at risk stung. They had only intended for her to be under the impression of being second in command unless a real threat emerged.

Yuiko grit her teeth. "You can't tell me th —"

"Ah, Naruto!" Aoba said loudly, cutting through their argument as Naruto approached.

Yamato's gaze left Yuiko as he swiftly transformed his expression into a forced grin. "Some weird tremors we're having, huh?" he asked lightly.

"Yeah," Naruto said doubtfully. "But, the world turned upside-down …"

"Oh, it's rare, but that just happens here sometimes!" Yamato laughed, a little too loudly.

"Really?" Naruto said, his eyes landing on Yuiko. She flinched, looking away.

"I think," he said, "I'm going to take a look outside."

"You can't!" Yamato said, bringing his face closer to Naruto's. "You're on an important S-Rank mission! It's a shinobi's duty to see a mission through until completion!" He moved closer, staring intently. "And this is a mission that only you can do, Naruto!"

Naruto swallowed heavily, nodding his head.

"Good!" Yamato exclaimed, straightening up. "Aoba, Motoi, and I will go check it out while you continue your mission. Yuiko will also stay behind to look after Guy, if you need any assistance."

"Right!" Naruto said, the enthusiasm coming back into his voice. He ran back to the animals, waving his clipboard in the air as he worked to calm them down.

Yamato's smile vanished the instant Naruto turned his back to them. He looked at Yuiko, his brow furrowed. "You're staying here," he said. "If whatever is out there is strong enough to get past us, you and B will be the second line of defense. Understand?"

Yuiko frowned, her fingers digging into the flesh of her crossed arms. Following Yamato's orders had been ingrained into her at this point, but she had a sinking feeling in her stomach that she couldn't ignore. "If things get bad, I could just phase through the turtle ..."

"No, Yuiko," Yamato said flatly. "I need you to be with me on this. Promise me you will not leave this area until the threat is over."

He stared her down until she dropped her eyes to the ground. "I won't leave," she said, reluctant.

"Good. I knew I could depend on you," he said with a smirk. "Let's go," he motioned to Motoi and Aoba, the three of them taking off to the entrance.

Yuiko sat down next to Guy with a huff. She focused her attention on Naruto, trying to ignore the gnawing feeling in her stomach.


	55. Chapter 55

"Masaki!" Yuiko gasped, laying a hand over her chest in surprise. "What are you doing here? Father told me that you had been banished; that you were a traitor!" Yuiko lowered her hand, furrowing her brow. "The only thing I've been a traitor to, Jun, is my heart. Your father banished me because he was able to see something between us that even I could not. I was so clouded by ambition, I couldn't see —"

Guy snored. Yuiko lowered the book from her face, glaring daggers at the man lying next to her in the grass. Guy had returned to the conscious realm only 15 minutes prior, and Yuiko had offered to read aloud from her book to give them both a distraction while they waited for Yamato and the others to return. But it appeared that Guy's waking presence was only fleeting.

"This is the best part you know," Yuiko pouted. A trickle of drool escaped the corner of Guy's mouth. Yuiko sighed, returning to her story where the court investigator was confessing his love to the Daimyō's daughter.

"… I couldn't see that I was holding myself back from moving forward," Yuiko read aloud, much softer this time. "I was so obsessed by past transgressions, I did not bother to think that there were people here and now who would still care for me. I saw treachery everywhere I looked, and I never stopped to think that maybe I was the one living in a false world. I've opened my eyes to the real world, Jun, and I see you. I lo —"

The book nearly flew out of Yuiko's grip as the floor jolted beneath her. Yuiko stuffed the book into her side pouch and got to her feet. She watched as a few pebbles rolled by. The floor was slowly starting to tilt. "You've got to be kidding," she said, scooping Guy up into her arms.

The ground continued to tilt in a similar fashion as when the island flipped, although at a much slower pace this time. She, along with Naruto, B, and the animals, slid down to the wall, stepping onto it as the world around them continued to turn. Finally, they made their way to the original floor as the tilting stopped. Yuiko looked up, regarding the lush forest that now grew on the ceiling.

 _I hope that doesn't come down anytime soon,_ she thought gravely.

She felt that the island, or turtle, being right-side-up again had to mean something positive, though. The main doors cracked open, Aoba and Motoi entering. "Everyone!" Motoi called out. "You can go outside now! The tremors are over!"

Yuiko watched as the animals calmly walked past him through the door. The doorway was tall and wide enough to let three or four of the large animals pass at a time, so the process was going by surprisingly quickly. The animals were also making much less of a fuss than she would expect.

 _They're probably so grateful to be alive that they don't have the strength left to cause a commotion,_ she thought dryly. _Either that, or weird stuff happens enough here that something like the island flipping over doesn't faze them._

Naruto was trying to be helpful by corralling the animals, although the creatures seemed more annoyed than anything. As the last animal, a giant mongoose, stepped through the door, Naruto made to follow.

"Wait, Naruto," Aoba said, blocking the boy's path as he tried to walk past him. "You just have to wait here a little longer, okay?"

Naruto's face scrunched up at the indignity. "Huh? Why do the animals get to go outside but not me?" he objected.

"Impatient Naruto! Haste makes waste!" B shouted, dancing about. He clasped Naruto's shoulder and guided him away from the door. Yuiko definitely overheard the word "training" among the rhymes he was spouting off, and was grateful that B had already picked up on how to divert Naruto's attention.

Yuiko snuck past them to get in close to Aoba and Motoi. She propped Guy up as comfortably as possible in a sitting position against the wall before addressing the two men. "What happened out there?" she whispered. Yuiko frowned as Aoba and Motoi exchanged a wounded expression.

"Well …" Aoba said, adjusting his shades.

"It was Orochimaru's student, Kabuto," Motoi said grimly.

Yuiko's blood ran cold.

"He took him," Aoba said, ashamed. "He took Captain Yamato."

"He took …" Yuiko said, dazed. "He took Yamato?"

Aoba nodded. Yuiko stared at him as panic rose in her chest. Aoba dropped his head as he found himself unable to hold her gaze.

"Was he …" Yuiko clenched her fist to keep it from shaking. "Was he alive?"

"He was alive," Motoi said. Yuiko brought her attention to the somber Kumo shinobi. Motoi seemed to have no trouble meeting her gaze. Yuiko glanced back to Aoba before deciding that Motoi was going to be more likely to give her answers.

"Why would he take Yamato?" she asked.

Motoi shook his head. "That, we don't know. For intel, would be my guess."

 _It must be,_ Yuiko thought. _Kabuto would have no reason to_ _—_

' _So tell me: your friend Yamato, I can assume that the only reason he's out here is because Naruto must be being held somewhere safe. Otherwise, the two of them can be found together whenever Naruto leaves the village, correct?'_

Kabuto's words echoed in her head.

 _No. no. That was just … Yamato couldn't have been a target, not this whole time. But I told Kabuto that. I told him that it was true — that Yamato was almost always assigned to Naruto. But that doesn't mean …_

"Yuiko?"

She looked up at the sound of Motoi's voice.

"It looks like Lord B is going to keep Naruto occupied here for a while," he said, pointing behind her.

She turned, seeing that Naruto was alight in his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode. A giant, partially transparent claw of chakra sprouted from his body, which he was using to stack a number of stones of various shapes. He had succeeded in the first two cube-shaped ones, but was struggling getting the third, funnel-shaped stone atop the others. It looked like B had concocted the exercise to teach Naruto how to control the Nine-Tails' chakra outside his body.

Naruto appeared frustrated, but determined. He was completely preoccupied, unaware that Yamato was even absent.

"We should be arriving to Kumogakure within a few hours," Motoi said, watching Naruto. "Once we get there, Guy can be taken ashore so he can get proper medical attention."

Yuiko nodded, hardly registering his words. Motoi eyed her warily. "Remember that we still have a mission to complete," he said. "We're now being aided by the Tsuchikage, but we still need to be vigilant."

"Of course," Yuiko replied flatly. She should have been curious how the Tsuchikage, of all people, was now here — but she couldn't find it within herself to care. She crossed her arms and stood stock still. No one in the group spoke as they watched Naruto struggle with the Nine-Tails' chakra. The blonde hardly seemed to register their presence until after an hour had passed and he finally succeeded in stacking the fourth shape. He turned his head to beam at Yuiko, his expression wavering from her subdued response. B leapt in with some praise, which helped bring Naruto's attention back to the task at hand. He shot Yuiko another worried look, but was soon engrossed in stacking the stones again.

As time ticked closer to the second hour, Aoba finally plucked up the courage to approach Yuiko. He shifted next to her uncomfortably as she ignored his presence. Aoba opened his mouth, then closed it as the words slipped away. Finally he took a deep breath, turning to her earnestly. "Yuiko, I'm sorry. I should have —"

Yuiko turned and walked away. She strode a few paces before stopping to continue watching Naruto with a passive expression. Aoba got the hint and glumly returned to standing next to Motoi. Motoi regarded Yuiko with a disapproving glare that she also took no notice of.

The three of them standing in silence was how they spent the remaining two hours before the room rocked slightly. Naruto cursed as the shapes he had stacked yet again came tumbling to the floor with a crash.

"Looks like we're here," Aoba said to no one in particular, making his way over to pick up Guy.

Motoi helped Aoba to sling Guy's arm around his shoulder, and the two of them walked out through the giant stones doors. The doors scrapped closed, leaving Yuiko to stare at them blankly.

' _Good. I knew I could depend on you.'_

Yamato's voice drifted through her subconscious. Yuiko made her way to the door and put her palm against it. She second-guessed her decision, leaving the door to drag her hand across the cool stone. After a few steps, Yuiko put her back to the wall, sliding down to the floor. She bent her knees, hugging them to her chest.

 _I will stay. I will stay because that's what you wanted me to do, Yamato._

.

* * *

.

"I see," Shibi said, raising his head to regard the waterfall. "So he's training in there with the Eight-Tails now?"

"Correct," Motoi replied. "Lord B is under instruction to keep him occupied for as long as possible. The boy has some way to go in terms of controlling the Tailed Beast, so I'm hopeful there won't be any issues."

Shibi Aburame nodded in understanding. Yuiko thought he was nearly the spitting image of his son, Shino; but, it was natural for them to look alike since they both wore sunglasses, hooded cloaks, and high-collared jackets that partially obscured their faces.

Shibi stood at the head of a group of over half a dozen shinobi who had been assigned to assist with Naruto's detention. They had arrived soon after the island made its way to Kumogakure; Yuiko figured their presence was a direct reflection of the Kages' unease at Yamato being taken.

Motoi, Aoba, and Yuiko stood facing them in front of the Waterfall of Truth. The inner chamber turned out to be connected to the room where Naruto had initially undergone his training with B. Killer B had decided that Naruto's mastery of the Nine-Tails' chakra had reached a point that he would be able to learn the most basic of the Tailed Beast attacks: the Tailed Beast Bomb. Yuiko figured that the training rooms must have been specially reinforced to contain Tailed Beast chakra, which was the reason behind B's decision to move.

"So what's going on out there?" Aoba asked, crossing his arms. "The divisions were still in Kumogakure when I dropped off Guy at the medical unit."

"They've been deployed," Shibi answered. "That's all the information we've been given from headquarters."

 _So they're keeping everyone on the island in the dark,_ Yuiko thought. _Or more specifically_ _—_ _me._

Yuiko may have had more freedom than Naruto, but her illusion that she had any real authority while on the island had long since been shattered.

"You three should get some rest," came a voice from the back of the group. Iruka Umino politely squeezed between two intimidating shinobi from Iwagakure. His sheepish demeanor was a stark contrast to the stone-faced shinobi who stood around him.

"Good, you're here," Shibi said, regarding Iruka. There was an edge of impatience to his voice that he seemed to have no qualms over disclosing. "Let's head inside; the scouts have been in place now for nearly an hour." Shibi and his group walked past them, leaving only Iruka. Iruka rubbed the back of his head, chuckling in embarrassment.

"Whew! Didn't think I could handle much more of that chatterbox!" Aoba said sarcastically, pointing his thumb back at the waterfall.

"I wish I had something more to tell you," Iruka said. "But Shibi was telling the truth — we haven't been given any further intel on the state of the war. I did hear that all units are currently engaged in combat, though."

"All five?" Motoi said, surprised. "The enemy's number must be far greater than I was expecting."

The four stood in uncomfortable silence, broken by Aoba letting out a yawn.

"Sorry, sorry!" he said, fighting the exhaustion. "I need to head out; I've been reassigned to the Intelligence Division. I'll send some information back about what's going on after I've gotten some shut-eye." He looked back to Yuiko hopefully. Yuiko held his gaze for a moment before looking away. She was acknowledging him now, which Aoba took as an improvement.

"And I'll be headed back to the lodge for some rest," Motoi said. "You should as well, Yuiko."

Yuiko stared out into the forest. "I'll catch up," she said blandly. Motoi sighed, but decided to let the issue go. Yuiko's companions bid them farewell and vanished into the tree line. Iruka shifted nervously as his gaze alternated between Yuiko and the waterfall. Yuiko made no motion to speak, only staring out into the trees.

"Is Naruto doing well?" Iruka asked, doing his best to sound pleasant.

Yuiko looked back at Iruka, noting the wrinkle in the scar that ran across his face, giving away his worry. Yuiko quite liked Iruka; he had come over often to visit after Jiraiya died, giving Naruto a distraction from his grief. Plus, she couldn't help but like someone who Naruto held in such high regard.

"Naruto is fine," she said, forcing herself to smile. Iruka nodded amicably.

"And how about you? How are you holding up?" he asked. Iruka felt a little guilty using his soft-spoken 'teacher voice'; a skill he normally used for children that were falling behind in their grades or having trouble at home. But it seemed to be effective as the smile on Yuiko's face became a little more natural.

Yuiko didn't answer him right away as she watched him with a thoughtful expression. "I'll be nearby," she said softly. "I have a seal that will activate if Naruto uses the Nine-Tails' chakra outside the waterfall."

Iruka nodded, regarding her as she walked away from the falls. "Make sure to get some rest!" he called out.

Yuiko left the clearing and walked into the forest, wandering aimlessly until she reached a spot overlooking the ocean. She sat against a tree, watching the waves swelling between the stone spikes jutting from the turtle's shell. She pulled out blades of grass, one by one, her eyes beginning to droop.

 _I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry._

She closed her eyes, falling into a fitful sleep.

—

' _That's her.'_

' _The jinchūriki?'_

' _Yeah. The one from the Bingo Book.'_

' _Lady Hokage absolved her, right?'_

' _That's what I heard. But still …'_

A sea of white Anbu masks floated past Yuiko — bears, monkeys, dogs, wolves, and tigers. They would regard her curiously, and then turn away, fading into the darkness.

 _I'm used to being ignored,_ Yuiko thought. _But then … why does this still hurt?_

The masks continued to disappear, the darkness closing in around her.

 _I don't belong here; not anymore. What was I thinking? What was I expecting to happen? I feel so small._

" _Small?"_ a man's voice asked. She turned; an Anbu mask with the face of a cat was floating slightly above her.

" _Being small isn't always bad. It's easier to get in and out of places unnoticed. You're quite good at that, from what I've heard."_

Another mask appeared, floating near her navel. She lifted her hands, looking down at the mouse-faced Anbu mask she now held.

" _You'll be working with me,"_ the voice continued. _"It will be difficult at first. You'll need to learn how to operate on a team again. Following my orders will be crucial to the success of our unit. However, I don't expect you to follow me blindly. I encourage you to question me if you don't understand something, or think that you may have a better solution. We may not always agree, but if we're able to respect one another, then we'll be able to complete our objectives together. Can I depend on you, Yuiko?"_

Yuiko cried out as she was awoken by a burning sensation on the back of her hand. The symbol for "9" was seared into her flesh, leaving an angry pink halo. She slapped her other hand over it and a blue light glowed from between her fingers. She removed her hand, seeing the symbol had disappeared from her skin. Yuiko got to her feet, taking one last look at the sea before dashing into the forest.

—

Naruto flew through the trees, hopping skillfully between the branches as he made his way toward the edge of the island. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to do when he got there; he only knew that he needed to find a way out, and fast.

He had been able to sense them — friend and foe alike fighting for their lives on the battlefields spread out miles in each direction. It was his job to stop it — to take all the hatred, all the pain upon himself and bring peace. He had made that promise to Nagato what felt like a lifetime ago, but he was nowhere near forgetting it.

"Naruto!"

Naruto stopped, scanning for the source of the voice. He looked down to see Yuiko standing in the grass below him. He jumped down from the tree branch and approached her. "I'm sorry, Yuiko," he said, his voice stern. "I can't stay here. There are too many people who need my help. Please don't try to stop me; I really don't want to fight you."

Yuiko didn't answer. Her hands slowly balled into fists. Naruto grit his teeth in frustration. He had been hoping he could get off the island without running into Yuiko first. He was already feeling guilty from the group of shinobi he evaded on his way out of the falls, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Yuiko.

Naruto's face relaxed as his expression changed to one of confusion. Yuiko had raised one of her fists out to him.

"Yamato," she said slowly, "didn't care about who I was. He accepted me and became my friend. He was the first stranger to do that, after I came back." She tightened her fist, dropping her gaze. "I let him down. I know he wouldn't like it, what I'm about to do, but ..." she looked up at Naruto, determined. "I'm going to bring him back."

Naruto nodded, stepping forward to put his fist against hers. "He recognized you. I would do the same, if it was Iruka-Sensei."

Yuiko smiled, nodding.

A grin stretched across Naruto's face. "Let's get out of here."


	56. Chapter 56

Yuiko and Naruto raced through the forest, breaking through to the stone spikes of the shoreline. The two of them came to a stop as they looked out over the ocean. Naruto looked at Yuiko with a hopeful expression as she scanned the horizon. "So, how do we get out?" he asked.

"We'll just —" Yuiko began, the remainder of her sentence dying on her lips as something large barreled past them. The pair looked up to see a large, purple orb of energy crash into the sky, shattering the barrier.

 _What the hell is that?!_ Yuiko thought.

" _It looks like a Beast Bomb,"_ Kokuō chimed helpfully.

 _A Beast Bomb? So that can only mean …_

"There's other barriers beyond that one!" a voice boomed.

Naruto and Yuiko turned to see the Eight-Tails looming over them.

"I need your help to break them, before we are done!"

"Octopops!" Naruto exclaimed.

Yuiko looked between the barrier and the Tailed Beast in shock. "What the hell are you doing?!" she exclaimed. The Eight-Tails recoiled slightly.

"Come on, Yuiko!" Naruto said, feeling offended on B's behalf. "This is how we get out of here!"

Yuiko gestured wildly to the Beast Bomb now lodged firmly in the barrier. "Everyone knows where we are now! Every shinobi on this island is going to be here in minutes!"

"No problem!" Naruto said, making a fist. "We just gotta bust through this barrier before that happens, right Octopops?"

"You got it!" The Eight-Tail's boomed, pointing at them with both fingers.

"Don't worry, Yuiko," Naruto said with a smile and wink. "Octopops and I can handle the barrier! I'm a lot stronger than you think, ya know?"

Yuiko deflated. "Naruto, this isn't about how strong I think you are. I just thought it would be easier if I phased everyone through the barrier."

Naruto and B regarded Yuiko in silence.

"You can do that?" Naruto said after a moment.

"Yes."

"Huh," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, can I break the barrier anyway? That way just seems more fun."

Yuiko looked at him incredulously before letting out a sigh. "Sure, I guess. There's no point in being discreet now, anyway."

"Alright!" Naruto said, looking up at Killer B excitedly. The Eight-Tails leapt away as Naruto's body was bathed in orange light. Naruto disappeared in a flash after the Tailed Beast.

" _It's nice that they're having fun,"_ Kokuō said sweetly.

 _As impractical as it may be,_ Yuiko replied as she watched Naruto and B bust through the first barrier. Her companions were moving fast, and she was going to have to go all out to keep up.

Yuiko crouched, steam pooling around her feet.

" _Careful, you haven't done this in a while,"_ Kokuō warned.

 _I can't let them be the only ones having fun,_ Yuiko smirked. She jumped, shooting like a rocket through the hole the others left behind. She shot past Naruto and B in a cloud of steam as Naruto pushed a hole through the second barrier. Yuiko turned to look behind her as she phased herself through the remaining layers. She watched B and Naruto alternate between weakening then breaking through each barrier using the Beast Bomb.

Yuiko started to lose altitude and she landed atop one of the tall outcrops of rocks surrounding the island. It seemed the giant turtle had been directed into a lagoon that was probably not too far off from Kumo.

Naruto and B busted through the last barrier, the Beast Bomb dissipating in the air as they flew overhead. Killer B's appearance returned to normal and they landed on another outcrop in the distance. Yuiko pooled steam around her feet again and sprung over to them in one leap.

"Since when can you do _that_?!" Naruto said, his eyes shining.

"I've always been able to," Yuiko said simply. "I'm just technically not supposed to use Boil Release. But the Hokage is going to kill me anyway for leaving the island, and it's not like she can kill me twice."

 _Although with her medical jutsu, maybe she could._ Yuiko decided not to dwell on that thought.

"So, I guess this is it," Naruto said, his expression growing somber.

Yuiko nodded, "yes, I think so. Please be careful, Naruto." She reached up to ruffle his hair. Naruto uncharacteristically didn't make a move to fend her off.

"If you're going by yourself," he said, "I can send a clone with you if you want."

Yuiko smiled. "I'll be alright. No offense, but that show you two just put on was a good indicator of how bad you are at sneaking around."

Naruto laughed as Yuiko pulled back her hand. Yuiko gave him her best smile as she shot him a thumbs-up. Naruto beamed, returning the gesture.

"Make sure to watch your back, girl with five tails!" B proclaimed. "We'll see you again, when our side prevails!"

"Count on it," Yuiko said. "Take care of yourself, B. And I'll see you two again, I promise."

.

* * *

.

Yuiko crouched, hidden along the tree line. Even after watching the crater for hours, there was still no sign of movement. She had arrived in the early hours of the morning, following the signals of the transmission seeds she had ripped out of her jacket.

Yamato had the unique ability to take a wood clone and transform it into a seed, planting it on a target to use as a tracking device. It was incredibly effective, and only by luck one day did she discover an interesting flaw.

Yamato was the only one who was able to use the seeds, to her knowledge. Out of curiosity, she had asked one day to see if she would be able to pick up on transmissions being sent through the wood clones if she embedded them with her own chakra. It didn't work, unfortunately, but they found that the chakra burst gave the seeds the energy to attempt to make their way back to Yamato. This would be unfortunate if the knowledge fell into enemy hands, but Yamato determined that the benefits of the seeds outweighed the risk of being discovered.

Yuiko figured that Yamato had probably snuck some seeds onto her person at some point, and had most likely sewn some into the lining of Naruto's clothing as well. It was a bit shrewd, but she was grateful that his paranoid nature was paying off in this regard.

She had held the seeds tightly in her palm, following their pull for hours as she ran through the rest of the day and into the night. She avoided detection using her phasing ability, and counted on her chakra's nature to remain discreet. Luckily, half of her journey was over the ocean, which helped to minimize her chances of running into anyone. When she reached land again, she estimated that she was somewhere west of Yugakure, although she wasn't certain where. The terrain was mostly oversized trees, which meant it could be just about any northern forest east of the Land of Earth.

The seeds eventually led her to an immense crater, the skeleton of a large, unknown beast resting at its center. Cave openings dotted along the inner wall of the crater, where Yuiko had focused her attention on watching for movement. But as the day wore on without a soul passing through, she decided that she needed to take a chance.

Creeping into the clearing, Yuiko silently tiptoed down the crater's slope. She snuck from cave to cave, until she found one where the seeds nearly leapt from her palm when she fed them chakra. Yuiko followed the passage slowly, giving her eyes time to adjust to the darkness. It twisted and turned without any sense of purpose, occasionally opening up into larger rooms or offering passageways that shot off in odd directions. Finally, she came to a large, wooden door where the seeds shuddered madly, almost of their own accord.

She slowly phased through the door, until only her eye was on the other side. The room was practically empty; it only contained a large platform in the shape of a flower on the opposite end being lit by an eerie, green light. She phased through entirely, marveling at the size of the room. It seemed to have been cut out from the earth, the cavernous ceiling reaching up at least 20 stories tall.

 _Those tunnels must have taken me farther underground than I expected._

As she approached the platform, she noticed that there was actually a gap in the floor between where she stood and the platform itself. She looked down into the gap, holding back a gasp of astonishment.

The room continued downward for ages; Yuiko almost felt dizzy from the sheer depth of it. A stairway had been carved within the rock connected to the floor she stood upon, zigzagging down into a body of water below.

 _The platform ... really is a flower,_ she thought, astonished that the large flower head was being held up by a stalk about the girth of a fully-grown oak tree.

Yuiko squinted at the bottom of the stalk, her eye catching the glint of something metallic. She did another quick scan of the room to confirm that she was, in fact, alone. Deciding that speed would be more desired now than discretion, she leapt from the edge of the floor to fall toward the water below. Steam shot out around her feet as she landed gently atop the water, cushioning her fall. As the steam cleared, Yuiko had to hold back from crying out in relief. She ran to Yamato, whose torso was protruding from the flower's stalk.

"Yamato!" she whispered, not daring yet to touch him. He appeared unconscious, a grimace upon his face. She cautiously reached out to touch the stalk, inspecting it for anything unusual. An amazing amount of chakra flowed through it, but she recognized that it was similar to the feel of Wood-Style chakra she would handle when using one of Yamato's jutsu.

 _Alright, here we go._

She grabbed onto Yamato's shoulders, slowly phasing his body from the stalk. Yamato emerged easily, and Yuiko exhaled, not realizing that she had been holding her breath. She had to cradle Yamato to keep him from sinking under the water, so she decided to cut a medical examination down to the basic 'is he alive?' check on his vitals. Yamato's vitals appeared normal, to the point that it would seem like he was just sleeping if it wasn't for the fact that he wouldn't wake no matter how many times she tried to shock his system with chakra. Yuiko surmised that it was likely a poison, or a particularly strong genjutsu, that kept him in that state. Either way, she needed to get him to a medic nin soon.

Yuiko shifted Yamato around as gently as possible as she hoisted her friend onto her shoulders. Using Kokuō's chakra, they jettisoned up to the top floor in a cloud of steam. She phased through the large door, and cautiously made her way back to the crater. Once again, Yuiko picked up no sign of life as she slinked through the tunnels. Soon enough the light illuminating the passage grew brighter and brighter as the exit approached. The inner lip of the cave provided some cover, and she checked for movement outside. When she saw none, she walked into the daylight, and leapt into the woods.

 _All their forces must be deployed,_ she thought as she picked up her pace. _Something must have made them abandon Yamato's interrogation. There's no way he would give up any intel so quickly._

She decided to head south, recalling a medical outpost she had passed by a few hours from her location. She traveled through the forest for almost two hours, setting Yamato against a tree as they approached a clearing near a rocky riverbank. Yuiko turned her back to Yamato and made her way down to the water. Most of the foliage grew sparse the closer she got to the river, keeping Yamato in clear view when she turned back to glance at him. She brought her attention back to the water as she knelt down and pulled out her flask.

"Hmm, it looks like Kabuto what right," a voice said. Yuiko turned slowly, regarding the man who stood only a few feet behind her.

"He said one of you was likely to come after the Wood-Style user," the man continued. "My guess was on the Nine-Tails, since he doesn't seem so bright. But I can't be too disappointed, since your chakra is the only one I'm still missing."

 _How? I didn't even sense him!_ Yuiko thought.

Her eyes grew wide as something in her brain clicked. The man wore a long, purple robe with a white cloth tied around his waist and a white gunbai strapped to his back. His face was entirely hidden behind a white mask with a black, ripple-like pattern emanating from the center. Three tomoe shapes adorned the mask, two of which formed eye holes. Yuiko could see that his right eye had the sharingan — and in his left were the purple rings of the rinnegan.

 _Madara … Uchiha_

* * *

A/N: Since I can't PM you; to the lovely guest who left a review yesterday, thank you! I'm glad that you're enjoying the story, and I always appreciate the feedback!


	57. Chapter 57

Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly as she pooled chakra into the tip of her finger. She slowly moved it over the gash across her patient's cheek, an eyebrow twitch being the only indication that the solemn Kiri shinobi even felt her chakra at work. Sakura expertly guided her chakra through the man's skin as she stitched it together. As she finished her work, she nodded proudly at the faint scar.

"I'm going to give you a balm to keep the skin moisturized and minimize permanent scarring," Sakura said, turning away from the man as she approached a nearby table. The two of them were in one of the dozens of beige tents of the medical outpost; Sakura had lost track of how many patients she'd treated that day. She shuffled around the assortment of jars and vials in front of her as she lamented how disorganized things had become over the past few hours.

The discovery that the Akatsuki's horde of White Zetsus could mimic members of the Allied Shinobi Forces had temporarily thrown her medical outpost into disarray. No one knew who to trust, and more than a few patients had lost their lives from being denied treatment while the medical nin were kept under strict guard. The few hours that she had spent pacing feverishly within her tent while injured men and women died less than 20 feet away had been the most frustrating and nerve-racking experience of her life. Sakura had never felt so helpless. It wasn't until one of Naruto's clones arrived and identified the impostors that Sakura was allowed to get back to work. It had taken them a while, but the medical camp had finally fallen back into a routine where all critical patients had been stabilized and she was able to focus on less serious injuries.

"Excuse me, Sakura?"

Sakura looked to her right as an Iwa medical nin stepped into the tent. "Sakura, there's a man outside asking for you," he continued. "He said his name is Might Guy."

"Oh!" Sakura said, her eyes growing wide. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I believe so," the Iwa nin said. "It seems that headquarters is reassigning members of the third division to different locations. A few of them have come by to drop off their wounded; no one is in critical condition, luckily."

Sakura nodded, letting out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Please let Guy-Sensei know I'll be out in a minute. Thank you."

The medical nin nodded in acknowledgement before leaving the tent.

"Sorry about that," Sakura said, bringing her attention back to her patient. "Let me get you that ointment …"

—

"Ah, Sakura!" Guy said brightly, turning his head in her direction as she approached. He stood with his hands on his hips; it appeared that he had been observing the medical nin as they dashed about the sea of tents. Sakura certainly wasn't the only one trying to make up for lost time.

"I'm glad you're alright, Guy-Sensei," Sakura said earnestly. There were much fewer familiar faces about the camp than she would have liked, and it was always a bonus when someone she knew showed up uninjured — although Guy was looking a little scruffier than usual.

"I admire the passionate faces I'm seeing here at your camp, Sakura!" Guy exclaimed. He planted his fist onto his chest, smiling broadly. "It warms my heart to see everyone giving their all! Good work!"

Sakura chuckled sheepishly. "Thank you, Guy-Sensei. Although …" She looked away as her voice grew soft. "Although we couldn't even be doing _this_ much if it wasn't for Naruto."

Guy nodded in understanding. "Indeed. He's been a great asset since joining the fray. Those jinchūriki really are something, eh?" He laughed. Sakura smiled weakly.

 _Naruto really is something. And then there's me._

"Oh yes," Guy said, abruptly cutting off his laughter. "We won't be staying for long, but I would appreciate you checking in with Kakashi before we go."

"Kakashi-Sensei is here too?" Sakura asked. It was a little odd for Kakashi to be there, but Guy had been the one to ask for her. His smile wavered slightly as he regarded her.

"He could use a check-up, if you don't mind," Guy said. "You know how my Eternal Rival is with his 'too-cool' attitude; he's just like me when it comes to trivializing injuries." Guy pointed to himself with his thumb while shooting her a wink. Sakura gave a genuine smile then, wondering how much of Guy's statement was wish fulfillment on his part.

"Alright," Sakura said. "I'll go grab my bag. But it's probably chakra deprivation again, isn't it?" she joked. Guy's smile disappeared. It was the opposite reaction from what Sakura was expecting, and she started to worry that her teacher had been injured far more seriously than Guy was letting on.

"No, it's a different kind of injury," Guy said. His eyes were downcast; Sakura couldn't recall seeing the jovial Guy so somber. "It's an injury caused by my ineptitude on my previous mission."

 _Previous mission?_ Sakura pondered.

"It will be good for you to see him," Guy said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "But you should track him down soon, since I know he doesn't want to linger for long. We'll be heading out to find Naruto and B shortly."

Sakura nodded. Guy gave her shoulder a squeeze before walking past her. She began to walk back to her tent when a thought struck her. "Guy-Sensei!" she called, stopping in her tracks. Guy turned his head back to regard her with a raised brow.

"You said Naruto and Killer B," Sakura said. "What about Yuiko?"

Guy's expression grew grim. "Yuiko … did not go with them. She left the island with the intention of rescuing Yamato."

"Alone?" Sakura said, stunned. Sakura had little knowledge of how the rest of the allied forces were moving, and it was quite possible that they, too, had mobilized a rescue team for Captain Yamato. At least, she could hope. She found it hard to believe that Yuiko would justify doing something so reckless on her own.

"I'm … not sure," Guy answered. "When headquarters last checked in, they reported that no one had seen her since she left the island." A smile grew on Guy's face as he regarded Sakura's troubled reaction. "I'm not worried about her. I have known Yuiko for a long time, and she's a master at getting herself out of sticky situations. I only regret not being able to keep her out of it in the first place."

It was then that Sakura realized what Guy had meant about his shortcomings during his previous mission: He was supposed to help keep the jinchūriki from leaving the island. The Kages had replaced him and the other members of that team when they failed to stop the security breach and Captain Yamato's abduction. Guy had still been recovering from his last use of the Eight Inner Gates at the time, and only started returning to his senses after he had been carted out with the Third Division.

"Guy-Sensei," Sakura said. "It's not your fault that Yuiko left."

Guy's smile grew thoughtful. "Perhaps not. But I should have tried harder for my rival's sake."

—

"Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura asked tentatively as she pushed aside the tent flap. She walked into the camp's weapon storage and looked down the cluttered rows of shelves. Just about any portable weaponry was stored here to re-supply shinobi who were fit to return to their units after treatment.

Sakura walked past the isles with a frown, wondering if she should assign more people to help organize the tent now that the commotion had died down. It would be a miracle if anyone could find what they were looking for in this mess.

"Ah, Sakura," a voice said. "Good. I'm looking for some food pills. Would those be here, or in the canteen?"

Sakura came to a stop at the second-to-last isle, watching Kakashi warily. He was casually inspecting a kunai as he tilted the blade to and fro. The weapon seemed to pass his inspection, since he swiftly slid it into his belt. He met Sakura's gaze, looking back at her with his usual indifferent expression.

"Are you alright, Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura asked, watching him keenly. He put his hands in his pockets, tilting his head slightly to the side.

"A little banged up, but nothing too serious," he replied. "I'm glad to see you're doing well."

Sakura's brow furrowed. She quickly closed the distance between them and stared pointedly up at Kakashi with her hands on her hips. "I'm not gullible like Naruto, and I'm not going to buy it when you try to blow me off. Now isn't the time for you to hide things."

Kakashi raised his brow. "Sakura, I'm not trying to hide anything. I'm not sure what I've done to deserve such an accusation."

"You were going to leave without seeing me," Sakura said softly. Kakashi didn't reply, guilt flashing behind his eye.

"I know that you're not my sensei anymore, but I still … I still want to be acknowledged," she said. Sakura balled her hands into fists as they shook. "I'm not as strong as he is." She quickly dropped her gaze. "Naruto … Naruto had to save me again. He came here and stopped the impostors while I just —"

Sakura squeezed her eyes closed. "I just stood there because I was too afraid. I was afraid of messing up whatever grand plan that everyone around me seems to understand while I'm left in the dark. But you know who else was like that?" Sakura abruptly raised her head, her green eyes shining with tears. "Naruto was like that! He knew about all the bad things going on, and he knew that he was supposed to stay put, but he followed his heart and came out here to help everybody. And he saved so many people. And I could have —"

Sakura choked, bringing her hand to her mouth. "I could have saved those people who died because I was too much of a coward to do what my heart was telling me! I could have said no and just left the tent and tried to save as many people as I could, even if one of them turned out to be an impostor. I could have fought, but instead I just blindly followed orders. This is what … this is what sets Naruto apart from me, isn't it?"

Kakashi slowly pulled his hands out of his pockets. He hesitated for a moment before putting his hand on her shoulder. "Sakura," he said gently, "sometimes there is no right decision. Headquarters made the call in order to keep as many medical nin safe as possible. The medical unit is an instrumental resource to this war, and they couldn't risk having it destroyed. I'm sure you're not the only one suffering over that decision."

Sakura slowly shook her head. "Have you really changed so much, Kakashi-Sensei?"

Kakashi looked back at Sakura in confusion. A determined look flashed over her face. "Those that break the rules are scum," she said, "but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum!"

The hand on Sakura's shoulder twitched.

"I can't hold myself back anymore, Kakashi-Sensei," Sakura said. "I think … that's what I need to do if I ever want to catch up."

Kakashi closed his eye with a sigh. He opened it again, regarding Sakura fondly. "I think it's hard for people like us to compare ourselves to someone like Naruto. But as I've learned over the years from competing with Guy, there's always a way to catch up to someone seemingly above your level. I prefer cheating."

Sakura snorted, and Kakashi's eye closed in a smile as she wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry, Kakashi-Sensei," Sakura said. "I was supposed to be the one making sure _you_ were OK."

"I'm —" Kakashi started. He looked away, finding that his resolve from before had suddenly dissipated. He was tired; he was afraid. As much as he wanted to tell Sakura this, his tongue felt like lead. The fear of putting what he was thinking into words seemed to be much greater than the fears themselves. Putting them into words would make them real.

Kakashi was drawn out of his thoughts as Sakura put her arms around him. He stood stiffly, watching her in surprise. "Yuiko will be OK," Sakura whispered. "Yuiko and Naruto are doing the same thing — they're fighting to help their friends. She's going to be OK, I promise."

Kakashi looked away, fixating his gaze on a small rip in the corner of the tent. "You can't make that promise," he said quietly.

Sakura strengthened her grip. "But I will, because she has to be."

Kakashi tentatively raised his arms, his hands hovering in the air as he hesitated. He then wrapped his arms around Sakura, returning her embrace. A wave of nostalgia washed over him as he recalled a certain genin who would practically buzz with joy whenever she successfully learned a new jutsu or chakra control technique. She would always give him a quick hug, as if expressing her excitement with words wasn't enough. It hurt his heart a little to think that this wasn't the first time she had embraced him, but it was probably the first time he had hugged her back.

Kakashi sighed deeply. He opened his eye as a weak smile touched his lips. "Don't tell Naruto, but you've always been my favorite."

"Oh, please," Sakura chuckled. "I've known that forever. _I_ don't do stupid things that can get me killed every time you turn your back."

"Ah, you were always the smart one," Kakashi said, pulling himself away. He put his hand atop her head, ruffling her hair. "And because you're the smart one, I'm going to put my faith in your conviction."

Sakura smiled sweetly up at her sensei, and Kakashi genuinely returned the gesture.


	58. Chapter 58

" _Yuiko!"_ Kokuō cried, snapping Yuiko out of her stupor.

Yuiko sprung backwards, putting herself on the opposite shore of the shallow river. The masked man crossed his arms impatiently. "What do you mean?" Yuiko said, fear leaking into her voice. "What do you mean that you 'have their chakra'?"

The masked face tilted to the side, giving the impression of slight amusement. "I mean what I said," the man chirped. "I have the chakra I need from all the other Tailed Beasts." He watched her expression contort between anger and disbelief. Countless faces had looked at him like that.

A vortex formed around the man's right eye, his body sliding fluidly into its center until it was no more. Yuiko straightened, trying to find where he had gone. She had been told that Madara was capable of phasing through matter like herself, but dealing with the transportation technique was a whole different animal. Her shadow on the ground shifted, and she whipped around as the man was reaching for her shoulder. His fingertips phased through her, just as she slammed the side of his head with her left forearm.

 _Interesting,_ the man thought, his ear ringing from the blow. He knew that the Five-Tails was capable of a form of jutsu similar to his own; that much had been revealed about her in the Bingo Book. He had been unaware that she could activate it so quickly, though. It also seemed that she was capable of phasing only a part of her body while the remainder stayed solid — an irritating edge over his jutsu.

Yuiko advanced, bringing her right fist to his gut. She stumbled as her momentum moved right through him.

 _What … is that?_ she thought. _I could feel him just then, but I couldn't touch him. It's like he's in two places at once. How is that possible?_

Yuiko spun around, going in for another blow. The masked man didn't bother to move as she continued her assault. He studied her movements as she tried time and time again to make contact, with no avail.

 _She's a hothead, like the Nine-Tails,_ he thought. He reached behind him, grabbing the fan strapped to his back. He lifted it before him like a shield. Yuiko phased through it as if it wasn't there, still attempting to strike him. He grabbed onto the chain attached to the gunbai's handle, swinging it at her like a flail. She appeared to be ignoring the weapon entirely.

 _Her reaction time is similar to my own,_ he thought, calculating. _But her jutsu doesn't work the same way as mine. It comes down to the simple matter of figuring out a counter. I'm lucky that she's fool enough to give me time to do that._

But Yuiko countered that notion by leaping back, her hands a blur of signs. "Vapor Style: Solid Fog Jutsu!"

Yuiko opened her mouth, a cloud of mist pouring from it. The masked man immediately retreated, watching as the mist liquefied the grass and plants along the riverbank.

 _She's making a shield,_ he thought dryly. _At the very least she's smart enough to know I can't get to her while she's in something like that._

The fog coiled toward him rabidly, singeing the hem of his robe. He activated his mangekyō sharingan in an effort to retreat. The fog parted, something small cutting through it as it flew toward him. The tiny senbon entered the vortex and followed him into the dimension he transported himself into.

The dimension he used to transport himself was nothing more than a dark void with large, concrete-like blocks floating through the air. Considering he only used it to move himself around, and store the occasional prisoner, it wasn't necessary for it to be any grander than that.

He watched, uninterested, as the senbon floated past his head as he fell toward the surface of the nearest cube. Perhaps Yuiko had figured she could poison him if she got a direct hit into his eye. But she would have to be an idiot to think she could move fast enough to hit him before he could react.

The senbon began to drop, its shape changing into something rectangular. He watched it unroll as it fell, realizing that it wasn't a senbon, but a scroll. As he looked down, he noticed that the surface of the cube below him was riddled with a dozen or more tags. As the small scroll fell, a bolt of electricity shot out between it and one of the tags lying on the cube. The tag ignited, causing a chain reaction of explosions as each tag activated the one next to it. His eyes widened, reflecting the orange glow of fire surrounding him.

—

Yuiko strained her senses within the dense mist. She waited, hoping that she wouldn't need it for much longer. It had worked as a means for forcing Madara to use his transportation technique, but it took a lot of chakra for her to continuously phase the mist through her body to avoid harm.

She had noticed something interesting when she had been fighting Madara earlier

 _If us just moving through each other really counted as fighting,_ she thought.

She found that when she phased through him at the same time he was phasing through her, she could still feel his chakra signature. But when she tried to hit him with a solid blow while he phased, it was gone. So in a way, she was able to go wherever he was going when she moved her chakra through his. It was a gamble, since she had no idea where it was he transported to, but she had planted all the exploding tags she had on her into that space while he was avoiding her attacks. The Solid Fog Jutsu was a pain, but she had hoped that it would be enough to drive Madara to transport away. When it worked, she threw the detonator into the vortex, crossing her fingers that it would make it through.

" _We should go,"_ Kokuō said, interrupting her thoughts. _"He may not be dead."_

 _All the more reason for us to stay._

" _Now is not the time, Yuiko,"_ Kokuō said sternly. _"That man wants to kill you. We need to flee."_

 _That man wants to kill everyone who gets in his way, not just me. If I can stop him here, then maybe we can end this war._

" _You're smarter than this! Listen to reason! He needs to collect all the Tailed Beasts for some reason. You are what's keeping him from accomplishing his goal!"_

 _If he was telling the truth — if he already got to B and Naruto — then I'm the only one left who has a chance. Let me do this._

Yuiko could feel Kokuō's frustration ripple through her body. She felt a little guilty. Yuiko was trying to think of what she could say to console her when her thoughts were interrupted by a cry to her right. She tensed, straining her ears. Another cry cut through the air, followed by a low groan.

"Yamato!" Yuiko yelled, racing through the fog. The silhouette of two figures became visible as she approached its edge: One of the figures was standing, while the other was crouched on the ground. She burst out of the fog, skidding to a halt at the sight before her. Yamato was on his knees, a sword through his gut. Madara stood casually above him, turning slightly at her approach.

"Ah, there you are. I figured this would draw you out," he said. He reached down, grabbing the hilt of the sword. He pulled it out of Yamato, blood spattering across the dirt. "I underestimated you. That was my fault; I won't make that mistake again," he said, plunging the sword through Yamato's back.

A cry caught in Yuiko's throat as Yamato twitched on the ground, blood spilling from his mouth and sinking into the earth.

 _Why?_ She thought. _Why kill him?_

" _Something isn't right,"_ Kokuō interjected.

Yuiko clapped her hands together in a panic as the realization hit her.

"Release!"

The genjutsu faded just as the real masked man appeared in front of her, reaching out.

 _It took you too long to figure it out,_ he thought as his fingers moved through her arm. Yuiko had activated her phase, but it didn't matter. Her trick from earlier had helped him to realize that although he seemed to move through her, he was still actually touching her. And that was all he needed.

He activated his mangekyō sharingan, watching as her body contorted as she, too, began to be sucked in. Yuiko lowered her face, trying to pull away, but it was too late. "No use struggling now," the masked man said, watching her indifferently.

Yuiko's head snapped up and she stared into his eyes. The iris of her left eye was black, three red scythe-like symbols circling the pupil. The effects of the mangekyō sharingan ceased, Yuiko's body returning to normal. The masked man stopped the vortex.

 _She has a sharingan?!_ He thought, perplexed. _But how?_

Pain shot through his torso. He looked down to see that she had phased her arm into his gut. A hole opened up in his back and steam roared out of it like a geyser. Yuiko flipped backward, stomping her foot on the ground as she landed. A string of text shot from it to the man's feet, rippling out in more circles of text.

 _A chakra barrier, hmm?_ The man thought, holding his intestines in as blood dripped between his fingers.

Five tails burst from Yuiko's back, her entire body becoming enveloped in a cloak of flickering red chakra. Her facial features disappeared save for a pair of large, yellow eyes and a gaping maw of pointed teeth. A deep purple ball of chakra formed in front of her mouth. The ball grew larger and larger as tiny orbs of red and blue chakra were absorbed into it. When the orb was nearly as large as she was, it launched forward.

The Tailed Beast Ball jettisoned toward the masked man, leaving a trail of upturned earth in its wake. In a flash, he reached behind him, grabbing the gunbai off his back. He held it before him, the weapon quick to absorb the chakra from the attack. He raised the gunbai and the edges of the fan grew blurry as it converted Yuiko's attack into a mass of wind energy. The masked man swung the fan down, wind chakra tearing the ground to pieces as it raced toward her.

Yuiko leapt out of the Tailed Beast cloak like a snake shedding its skin. She dropped beneath the ground's surface, disappearing from sight. The remnants of Kokuō's chakra flew apart like smoke as the wind chakra tore through it. The wind chakra also made quick work of what was left of the Solid Fog Jutsu.

Yuiko stayed underground, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. It was dangerous down there, since her phase dulled her senses so she couldn't be sure where Madara was or what he was doing. But there was something she was having a hard time wrapping her head around.

 _His eye … the amount of chakra I have to use to counter his sharingan is immense! I don't think I can get away with that again. That, and how it felt when I activated the seal … it was exactly the same as what I used to counter the kamui. I was taught that every member of the Uchiha clan had a unique sharingan. Is it even possible for something like that to be a coincidence?_

The ground around Yuiko blew apart. She was washed in sunlight as she narrowly missed taking the brunt of the wind-jutsu attack. The chakra form was unstable, which left her with a few slashes across her arms as she used them to shield her face.

"Are we playing hide-and-seek now?" the man chimed, stepping to the edge of the newly-formed crater. Yuiko quickly backed away to the opposite edge. Her stomach sank as she looked through the hole her attack left behind in the man's robe; his torso seemed to have been completely healed.

 _And he was able to do that attack, even with the chakra seal. It completely wiped away the area that I could have retreated to … which was probably his intention in the first place._

"So, you hid instead of phasing through the wind chakra," the man said, holding the gunbai out in front of him. Gusts of chakra continued to swirl over the fan's surface. "Looks like I have something to work off of."

He held the gunbai in his right hand, throwing his left hand out toward her. Giant roots sprouted from the ground, forming spikes in her direction. Yuiko jumped out of the way, dodging the gunbai as the masked man used its chain to swing it at her. More roots pushed through the ground, Yuiko taking care to only phase through them when necessary to conserve chakra. The masked man flung the gunbai at her like a flail, cornering her in a dome of roots that reached down to envelop her.

 _Wait, how did he do this so quickly?_

The gunbai flew at her, slicing her arm as she phased through a root trying to wrap itself around her waist.

 _I can concentrate on phasing through the roots, but I'll most likely run out of chakra before he does at this rate. If he really is Madara Uchiha, then this may be only a fraction of his power. Plus, I can't phase through the gunbai since the weird wind chakra he's using keeps wavering, making it impossible for me to get near him._

She flipped through the air, dodging as three more roots tried to entangle her.

 _And all these roots … how are there so many, so fast?_

She paused, embarrassed that she fell for the same thing twice. "Release!"

More than half of the roots vanished, leaving a barren area for Yuiko to land.

 _Another trick,_ she thought, her feet touching the ground.

The grass, bushes, and even the shallow river that had run through the area at the beginning of their confrontation were now gone. Yuiko's Solid Fog Jutsu had melted away nearly everything, and what was left had been blown away by the wind chakra. A muddy smear across the dirt was all that remained of the river. Dust clouds hung in the air around them from where the roots had burst up through the ground. Yuiko phased through the ground as the man she knew as Madara flung the gunbai at her. His eyes narrowed in frustration as he searched for her through the clouds of dust.

The masked man turned, feeling a presence approaching out of the dust cloud behind him. The silhouette became more solid as it approached, and he was surprised to see that it was the Wood-Style user. A wooden spear emerged from Yamato's palm, his arm raising as he sprinted toward the masked man.

The masked man raised the gunbai, effortlessly cutting Yamato in half. The two halves of his body split apart, turning into a log with a 'poof' of smoke.

 _A substitution? But I could feel his chakra …_ the man thought, his eyes narrowing.

He glanced at the top half of the log as it fell, noticing a scroll wrapped tightly around it. The symbol for 'Wood' was marked prominently in the center of what appeared to be a seal.

 _A chakra seal_. _She used that to give the substitution the right chakra signature._

Something shot up from beneath his feet, latching onto him. He looked down to see chains glowing with green chakra binding his legs. The masked man casually raised his head to peer at Yuiko. The woman had appeared a few feet away with her hands pushed together in front of her chest. She was breathing heavily, seemingly exhausted.

The wind from the gunbai dissipated, and the man casually placed it into the holster on his back. "You know," he said, straining his right leg against the chain. "You're wasting a lot of my time."

The chain cracked; Yuiko winced slightly.

The man sighed, irritated. The Adamantine Sealing Chains were a specialty of the Uzumaki clan — a technique that had been created solely for the purpose of detaining Tailed Beasts. In this case, Yuiko was using them to the best of her ability to subdue his chakra. He was annoyed to find that it was working well enough to keep him from building up the chakra to use his mangekyō sharingan. However, he still had more than enough strength left to break them by force.

"You can't hold me for long," he said, the chains clinking as he pulled against their grip. "That was a clever distraction back there. Too bad you'll just be wasting all your chakra on this stupid trick."

Yuiko let out a shuddering breath as she dropped her gaze. She slowly raised her eyes up to meet his again, and smirked.

The man gasped, throwing his head back from the sensation of something unimaginably cold being plunged into his chest. He lowered his face, his eyes widening as he gazed at Yuiko — or, actually, what was behind her.

What could only be described as a demon floated above her, its face and the skin visible down its neck and chest a deep red. Two bright red horns poked out from spiky white hair that fell down the monster's shoulders. It held its arms wide, the sleeves of its pure white robe draping down gracefully. There was a katana blade between the long, twisted teeth protruding from its mouth. A cloudy outline in the shape of a person floated within the demon's transparent body, seemingly connected to Yuiko. A band of glowing blue chakra ran through Yuiko's torso, connecting to his own. He looked down, seeing what appeared to be a large, claw-like hand gripping him. But it wasn't his body that it was holding onto; it was his soul.

"Well, it's this stupid trick," Yuiko said, through labored breathing, "that will be the end of you."

* * *

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews! They warm my heart; something that the masked man might need right about now, eh? eh?

...

I'll show myself out ...


	59. Chapter 59

A/N: I realized there may have been some confusion during the last chapter when the masked man was under the impression that Yuiko had a sharingan. This was actually Yuiko's dōjutsu seal, which was brought up back when she sparred with Kakashi. That happened awhile ago in the story, so I can understand if there was some confusion when it came up again. Sorry about that!

.

* * *

.

The masked man studied Yuiko, calculating. "Unless you know something I don't," he said slowly, "this technique will also cause your own death."

He wasn't sure if the woman would reply; it looked like she was having trouble simply staying conscious. It made sense, since the amount of chakra she was expending to keep the Adamantine Chains and the Reaper Death Seal active simultaneously was a feat most shinobi wouldn't be capable of pulling off.

"I'm dying either way," she finally answered in a voice hardly above a whisper. The man felt the ghostly arm latched to his soul give a slight tug, pulling it further out of his torso.

"It not only kills you, from what I remember," he said, using the same flat tone. "Your soul is trapped within the Shinigami, destined to suffer for all eternity. Is that what you really want?"

"If it will stop you from killing the people I care about, then I call it a fair trade," Yuiko replied. Something stirred within Obito Uchiha. He ignored the feeling.

"You're the one who will be causing them more suffering, really," he said. "What I want is to create a world of peace, where everyone gets to live out their lives happily with their loved ones. You would be the one preventing that." Obito winced, the arm tugging more firmly at his soul. A glowing form mirroring his upper body now protruded from his chest.

"I don't know what you're going on about," Yuiko said, fighting exhaustion, "but I don't think you're telling the truth. Just like how I don't think you were telling the truth about how you had already beat Naruto. Someone like you couldn't beat him — especially not if I can beat you."

Yuiko shut her eyes, straining to pull the masked man's soul from his body. He was resisting admirably, which was expected from someone fighting for their soul's fate.

 _Eternal suffering, huh? This bastard better be worth it._

She opened her eyes, her vision growing blurry.

 _I'm sorry, Naruto. I'm breaking my promise. Please don't hold it against me for too long._

She cried out, pulling again at the masked man's soul. He had his hands on his knees, his shoulders rising and falling heavily as he breathed. But his soul didn't budge; he was starting to regain his strength as the chains weakened.

 _Time to put all my cards on the table, as Kakashi would say._

The chains shattered as Yuiko dismissed the jutsu. She screamed, putting all her energy into pulling out the man's soul. She could feel Kokuō's chakra entwining with her own, helping her to pull against the man's effort.

The trees beside the clearing rustled, a group of people flying out from the branches. They dashed at Yuiko, their weapons raised. Yuiko's vision was so weak now she couldn't make out their features, but a familiar chakra flowed heavily from their bodies.

" _The jinchūriki!"_ Kokuō cried in dismay.

 _What? Why?!_ Yuiko thought, her panic rising. _Did they join Madara's side? Why would they_ _—_

Yuiko's thoughts were cut short as the masked man started to laugh.

"It doesn't matter!" Obito shouted, triumphant. "If you deplete your chakra before the seal is completed, then you will have failed." He lowered his head, his voice dropping to a sinister tone. "I can keep you alive long enough afterward to extract the beast from there."

Yuiko could sense them all now — two approached from her left, another three from her right. They would be upon her long before she could pull the masked man's soul from his body. They wouldn't kill her, but they would maim her enough to force her to undo the seal as her chakra slipped away. And even though the jutsu would be unsuccessful, her soul would still be trapped within the Shinigami for all eternity.

" _Get ready to run, little mouse,"_ Kokuō whispered to her.

Yuiko gasped as Kokuō's chakra left her, snaking up into the Shinigami behind her. She felt an immense warmth as her soul returned to her body, and fell to her knees, phasing through the ground as the jinchūriki fell upon her, their weapons crashing into the dirt.

Yuiko phased up through the ground a few yards away, her chakra reserves all but used up.

 _Kokuō, how did you do that?_

" _I gave the Shinigami one of my tails in exchange for ending the jutsu. It seemed pleased with the trade."_

 _Kokuō!_

" _I could hardly stand it as it was, your soul being trapped forever. I would have gladly given more than one to save you from that fate. Once that man said he would escape, I couldn't hold myself back any longer."_

Yuiko worked to push herself to her feet, but fell flat on her face as her body became entangled in a long chain. The chain glowed with purple chakra, and she turned her head to see that it was connected to the masked man's outstretched palm. Her skin burned where it touched her, but she couldn't muster the energy to scream.

"You," the man said, looking down at her. His eyes bore down on her with an intense hatred. "I will enjoy killing you."

He waved his arm to sever the chain from his palm, though it remained tied firmly around Yuiko's body, restricting her.

"Summoning!" he shouted, pressing his palms to the earth. An enormous cloud of smoke appeared, clearing to reveal the Demonic Statue used to seal the Tailed Beasts. The statue stood several stories tall, its humanoid figure crouching above them. Nine eyes, all closed, ran in two rows across its grotesque face. It opened its jaw, its mouth gaping to reveal pointed teeth.

"Let's begin," the masked man said, waving over the undead jinchūriki. They formed a circle around Yuiko, their hands flashing a number of seals before their bodies went still. Bursts of chakra in the shape of dragons' heads emerged from the statue's mouth, falling upon Yuiko and enveloping her. She groaned, pain permeating her whole body.

"This fate is too good for you," Obito said, regarding her coolly as she writhed in agony. "This process would normally take days because of the large mass of chakra needed to extract a Tailed Beast. But the reanimated jinchūriki have an unlimited amount of it, thanks to Kabuto's jutsu. The five of them will have the Five-Tails ripped from your body within minutes."

The image of the masked man faded away as Yuiko lost consciousness. She found herself floating alone within a murky void.

" _I'm sorry I couldn't protect you in the end, little mouse,"_ Kokuō said, its voice echoing in the darkness.

 _No, Kokuō. You saved me. Long before this._

Yuiko floated in silence, a wave of sorrow drifting over her.

" _You were the first thing I ever loved,"_ Kokuō said, its voice growing faint. _"You were so small when you first spoke to me; and when you looked at me, my heart melted. You didn't care about what I was, or what power I could give you. All you wanted from me was my friendship."_

Yuiko's ears were filled with the sound of rustling leaves. A sweet, soothing song drifted faintly within the sound.

" _I will fight him, Yuiko. I promise you that I will. I will do everything that I can to stop him. I don't know if Tailed Beasts can go to the Pure Land, but maybe someday I will see you there. I love you, Yuiko."_

 _Kokuō, don't leave me!_ Yuiko screamed, her voice echoing in the darkness.

There was no answer, the sound of rustling leaves fading away.

—

Yuiko opened her eyes, looking up into the sky. The chains that bound her were gone, but it didn't matter. She was paralyzed, her body too weak to move. The masked man crouched over her, staring.

"Oh, she's not dead!" another person's voice chimed. A second man leaned over her; his skin was pure white, and his short hair appeared to be light green. He looked down at her gleefully.

"She's an Uzumaki; they don't die right away. But she won't be long," the masked man said, pulling a kunai from the sash around his waist. He lifted a chunk of her hair, slicing it off.

"Zetsu, get this to Kabuto," he said, handing the hair to the pale man. "Have him revive her, and send her to me immediately. I can use her to be just as much of a pain in the ass to the enemy as she was to me."

"Right away, sir!" the pale man said cheerfully, giving the masked man a mock salute. He then disappeared from Yuiko's view.

"Oh!" Zetsu said, hesitating. "I almost forgot. What do you want us to do with the Wood-Style user? Should we kill him?"

With immense effort, Yuiko turned her head toward the sound of Zetsu's voice. There were two of them, it seemed: One held the clump of her hair in its hand, and the other was holding an unconscious Yamato under one arm. They both regarded the masked man with eager grins.

"No," the masked man said, still regarding Yuiko. "This woman did us a favor by bringing him closer to the battlefield. We'll make use of him there."

Yuiko mustered the strength to slide her arm slowly across the dirt as she weakly reached toward Yamato.

 _I … I couldn't …_

"Yama … to," she whispered. The edges of her vision grew blurry. The colors around her began to swim together as she lost the ability to make out any clear shapes.

"Terrible, isn't it?" the masked man said. "Not being able to save someone you hold dear. This is the world we live in. But I'm going to change all that. You'll even be lucky enough to witness it."

She could make out the sound of his sandals scraping against the sand, and felt the vibration of his footsteps as he walked away.

"You're not going to finish her?" Zetsu asked.

"No; she'll be dead by the time you get to Kabuto. She can spend her last few minutes dwelling on her failure."

Their footsteps faded, along with the sound of the undead jinchūriki who marched dutifully after their master.

 _That will be me. That's what he's going to do to me._

Yuiko's heart raced as the darkness closed in. Everything grew eerily quiet, heightening her panic.

 _I'm scared, Kokuō. I don't want to die._

She laboriously moved her arm to her side pouch, reaching into it. Her hand felt the smooth metal of the small cat-shaped clock.

A warm tear rolled down her cheek. It was the last sensation Yuiko Uzumaki felt before she died.


	60. Chapter 60

_I'm worried about my chakra level, but it looks like I don't have a choice._

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled, a perfect copy of himself appearing next to him in a cloud of smoke. Three of the undead jinchūriki faced him, their bodies engulfed in the red, shimmering pattern of the Tailed Beast mode. Long arms of chakra sprouted from their backs, ready to strike at the smallest indication of approach.

The situation around him wasn't much better. An enormous, slug-like Tailed Beast stood behind him; he had leapt out of the way just in time to avoid being engulfed in an acid-like sludge it sprayed from its mouth. Beyond that, Naruto and B were facing off against the Four-Tailed Beast, an immense ape with four octopus-like tails.

Kakashi had arrived with Guy just in the nick of time to help Naruto in his fight against the masked man who called himself Madara. The man had five jinchūriki with him, which he seemed to be able to control completely, although he didn't seem capable of giving them the same abilities they had witnessed before with the Six Paths of Pain.

 _Perhaps he needs all six for it to work?_ Kakashi had pondered.

Kakashi had been relieved to see Yuiko wasn't among the jinchūriki under Madara's control. It was a foolish move to go running off by herself, but it seemed to have paid off since it looked like the masked man hadn't been able to locate her.

 _At the very least, I only have to deal with three Tailed Beasts instead of four. Great,_ he thought cynically.

"Guy," he said as Guy landed nimbly behind him. "We have to watch each other's backs and finish up quick so we can get back to Naruto. Got it?"

"Right!" Guy bellowed. The three of them leapt apart — Guy focusing on the giant slug while Kakashi and his shadow clone took on the three jinchūriki. He and his clone put a few feet between themselves, reaching out toward each other. Electricity sparked between their outstretched hands, forming a string of lighting.

"Lightning Cable!" he yelled, rushing to the hands of chakra that barreled toward him. He and his clone leapt around the grasping chakra hands, cutting through them with the cable as they advanced. They were able to reach the beasts, but the creatures nimbly dodged their attack. Kakashi dismissed the cable, fighting the Tailed Beasts individually with his lightning cutter. Suddenly, another group of chakra hands burst from under his feet. Kakashi flew through the air, landing a few yards away with a crash. He looked around, noticing that his clone had disappeared. He could tell from his level of chakra usage that the clone was still active, figuring that he too must have been knocked back.

 _He'll dismiss himself if he went too far._

Kakashi readied himself, watching as the Tailed Beasts charged toward him.

—

 _Looks like I got knocked back too far,_ Kakashi thought, rubbing his shoulder as he stood up. He had been tossed all the way into the forest surrounding the leveled ground where the rest of the group was busy fighting the masked man and the Tailed Beasts. He looked around, noticing he wasn't even able to see the clearing between all the trees from where he stood.

 _I'd better dismiss myself. It will be faster to create another clone instead of spending my time running back._

He raised his hand to make the sign when a kunai flew past him. It hit a tree to his right, the exploding tag attached to it igniting. He jumped reflexively into the branches of a neighboring tree before the explosion caught him.

 _There's more of the enemy out here? Why are they lurking out in the forest? None of our units are stationed here, as far as I know._

He twisted his head left and right — a flurry of kunai, all with exploding tags attached, planted themselves to the trees around him in a series of loud 'thunks'. He dropped to the ground as they ignited, grateful that the tag landing nearest to him turned out to be a dud.

A figure shot out of the shadows in his direction. He pulled out a kunai for each hand, blocking their assault.

"Yuiko?!" he gasped as his opponent phased their arms through his. He ducked back, a chunk of silver hair flying from his scalp as he narrowly avoided having his throat cut. Kakashi instinctively raised his arms in anticipation of another blow. "What are you —?"

He froze as she raised her head. Her eyes were a dark shade of grey.

 _No._

Yukio rushed him. Kakashi dodged, but not soon enough; he winced as she sliced his right arm with a kunai. With his left hand, he reached into his side pouch, swapping out the kunai with a smoke bomb. He threw the bomb at the ground, retreating behind a large tree.

He steadied his breathing, masking his location.

 _She'll find me before too long,_ he thought. _I don't have a lot of time._

" _Why are you reading that stupid thing anyway?"_

Kakashi shut his eyes, struggling to push away the memory. He recalled Yuiko walking beside him, her eyes still on her book _._

' _Because I want to know how the story ends.'_

 _Stop,_ he thought. _Not now. I can't do this now._

" _Well, can you at least tell me which tail you'll be following?"_

" _The Eight-Tails," Yuiko said, tracing the constellation with her finger. "I'm surprised you remember those."_

A hand phased through the tree just to the right of Kakashi's head. The arm circled back, pinning his neck against the trunk. It squeezed, Kakashi pulling heavily against it to keep Yuiko from crushing his throat.

He lowered his right hand, a ball of electricity forming in his palm. His attack emitted a high-pitched screech as he sliced through her arm. As her forearm fell away, Kakashi dashed behind another tree, this time keeping Yuiko in his sight. She glanced about, unperturbed, as her right arm began to reform in a flurry of grey ash.

 _I need to get ahold of myself. What is my best course of action right now?_

Dismissing himself was the first thought that came to mind. However, he was almost certain that Yuiko's original destination would have been to meet up with the man known as Madara if she hadn't run into him. Her eyes weren't the same as the other jinchūriki under the masked man's control; they lacked the sharingan in one eye and the rinnegan in the other. Yuiko also wasn't using any attacks attributed to her skills as a jinchūriki. He deduced that both the dōjutsu and Tailed Beast abilities must have been something the masked man had to grant the undead jinchūriki after their resurrection. Letting Yuiko meet up with the man could ultimately cause more harm than the good it would do for Kakashi to have backup.

No, he would need to stop her here. How he would do that, though, he had no idea. There was no point in using large attacks; it would simply deplete his chakra since she could heal herself so rapidly. His kamui _might_ work, but the attack didn't activate fast enough for him to be sure she couldn't use her seal to counter it before completely sucking her in. His only option was to seal her, although he was a little doubtful of his ability to do so. He had watched others perform the sealing technique while he fought against the reanimated Seven Ninja Swordsmen, but the chakra levels being implanted into the seal were just as important as the markings of the seal itself. If he didn't get that right, then the seal would be a dud.

 _A dud._

He glanced up, noticing the piece of paper attached to the hilt of a kunai that was stuck firmly in a tree a few feet away.

Kakashi dashed out from behind the tree, heading toward it. He pulled his wire strings from his side pouch, flinging them around the tree branch. Yuiko appeared before him in an instant, stomping her foot on the ground as a string of text raced across the ground toward him. He pulled on the strings, flinging himself up into the tree just as the chakra seal took form where he had been standing. Kakashi pulled the kunai from the tree's bark, quickly glancing over the tag. He stuffed the kunai in his front pocket, dropping to the ground below.

Yuiko charged him, her arms and legs a flurry of movement as she tried to break his defenses. He varied his chakra flow, blocking her at every turn. He was much faster than her normally, but fatigue was catching up to him as they fought. Yuiko feinted a right hook to his gut before plunging her left arm into his chest. Kakashi's eyes grew wide as Yuiko solidified her arm, blood exploding from his chest.

'Poof!'

The log Kakashi's clone used for his substitution flew apart in a shower of splinters. He appeared behind Yuiko in a flash, plunging the kunai with the tag attached into the back of her head. He narrowed his eyes, concerned, as Yuiko let the kunai phase through her. But then, he felt resistance — his hand was pushing against something else as it entered her skull. The kunai phased through her face, clattering on the ground. Kakashi thought he had failed for an instant, but noticed that the tag attached to the kunai on the ground had a different set of symbols than the one he plunged into Yuiko.

Kakashi's hand phased back of out Yuiko as she fell to her knees. He regarded her warily as she sat stone-still.

"Take that, you son of a bitch!" Yuiko screamed into the sky, birds taking flight from the trees.

"Yu-Yuiko?" Kakashi stammered nervously.

Yuiko snatched up the kunai, tilting her head around to look at him. Her pupils were still black, but the white of her eyes had returned.

"Kabuto thought he could tell me what to do with this stupid thing!" she said angrily, tearing the tag off the kunai. "But I still had enough of me left to make the sealing tag! And I was able to hold back from using the Adamantine Sealing Chains. You would have been toast if I hadn't done that." She tore the tag into a pile of confetti with gusto. Kakashi sighed, circling around to kneel before her.

"Actually, I'm a clone, so I would have been fine."

Yuiko's eyes widened in surprise. "The entire time?"

"Ah."

"Huh," Yuiko said, a little put out. "And here I was thinking I was the hero."

The ground shook, the two of them clapping their hands over their ears as an explosion decimated a mountain off in the distance. "What in the world was that?!" Yuiko exclaimed after the noise died down.

"Things must be getting serious," Kakashi said, his eyes narrowing as he regarded the dust cloud. "It's that man with the mask, Madara — or whoever he is."

A look of anguish flashed over Yuiko's face, her gaze falling to the ground. "I'm sorry, Kakashi. I did something foolish."

"You went after Yamato," Kakashi said mildly. "Naruto told me."

"Eh?" Yuiko said, perking up. "You ran into Naruto? How is he? Is he alright?"

"He's … fine. At least he was when I left him. I'm not sure how the fight is progressing, though."

"Against him — against the man with the mask?"

Kakashi nodded. Yuiko frowned, furrowing her brow. "Listen," she said, her voice stern. "I have something you need to take back with you. Information on how his ability works."

Kakashi's eyes widened as he studied her face. "It was him."

Yuiko nodded. "He's strong, Kakashi. But you and Naruto together are stronger." Yuiko leaned closer. "His ability to go through things, it's not like mine. He actually teleports somewhere. I don't know where, but I was able to feel it when I phased through him. It's like a transportation technique. And his sharingan …"

She paused, looking uncomfortable as her gaze lingered on his left eye. "When he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan to try to pull me in, I used my Dōjutsu Seal. When my seal activated … it felt the same. It was exactly the same as when I used it against you back in Konoha."

Kakashi regarded her, calculating. "Perhaps that's just what it feels like against any sharingan."

Yuiko shook her head. "I don't think so. The pattern was exactly the same. I know it was. But, that can't happen, right? I mean, my knowledge is second-hand, but no two Uchiha are supposed to have the exact same Mangekyō Sharingan. It's like a thumb-print."

Kakashi looked away, lost in thought.

 _But that would mean … there's no way …_

He looked back at her, extending his hand. "Come on. Can you still fight?"

She regarded his hand sadly, shaking her head. "No, actually. My legs won't move. That was part of the seal — to immobilize myself so I wouldn't be of any use."

"I can't just leave you here."

"You will," she said. "You should probably put a full-body seal on me to be safe. I can show you how."

The knot returned in Kakashi's stomach, twisting violently.

 _For a moment I had forgotten,_ he thought. _I forgot that she's already gone._

"Do me a favor, will you? Before you go?" Yuiko asked hopefully. Kakashi nodded.

"Tell Naruto I'm proud of him," she said, smiling wide. "Tell him it's not his fault, what happened to me. Tell him that I'll be watching when he becomes Hokage."

Kakashi nodded solemnly. The smile on Yuiko's face faded as she watched him. "I'm sorry, Kakashi," she said, her voice growing soft. "I'm sorry about what I said before."

"What are you talking about?"

"When I told you I was in love with you," she said, lowering her gaze. "I wasn't thinking. I wasn't thinking about how it would make you feel. There was a long time that you thought I had killed Noboru. Those feelings never just disappear. But … I wanted to tell you that it's okay. I'm not mad that you don't share the same feelings. I didn't want you to think that I died resenting you. You probably hated me for a long time —"

Kakashi put his arms around her, holding her tight. "I never …" he said, gently moving his hand to cradle the back of her head, "I never stopped being in love with you."

.

* * *

.

Kakashi walked alone through the streets of Konoha, his hands stuffed into his pockets. Funeral goers dressed in black passed him by as the gong signaling Noboru's funeral rang through the air. He ignored it, continuing to wander aimlessly through the streets.

 _A shinobi who breaks the rules is scum; but a shinobi who betrays their friends is worse than scum._

He stopped, his eye catching the gaudy colors of the posters plastered behind a book stand outside a storefront. He walked over to the stand, picking up the book lying on top of the stack. 'Make-Out Paradise' was sprawled across the cover, a picture of a man playfully chasing a woman beneath it.

The woman's face became distorted by the tear that fell on the cover, the water rolling lazily down its surface. His hand shook as he squeezed the book, more tears falling on its glossy surface.

 _A shinobi who breaks the rules is scum; but a shinobi who betrays their friends is worse than scum … so I'm scum. She killed him. She killed my friend. Then why… why do I not hate her? Why do I still feel this way?_

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* * *

.

"This is where Naruto Uzumaki lives."

The third Hokage sat casually at the small table, clearing a place among the rubbish to rest his arm.

"This milk is way past its expiration date," Kakashi noted, sniffing the carton that had been sitting open on the table.

 _Minato-Sensei had been so meticulous,_ he thought, scanning the room. Garbage, dirty clothes, and empty instant ramen cups littered the apartment. His eye fell on the first door on the right side of the hallway.

A ghostly figure walked down the hallway, coming into view.

" _What are you doing?!" Yuiko yelled, jumping in surprise as she looked in his direction. "I told you to use the door! Stop coming in through the window, it's weird!"_

"Kakashi?"

"Hmm?" Kakashi turned his head to look back down at Lord Third.

"I realize this can be difficult for you," the old man said, concerned. "But I feel that since the boy's father was your sensei, and since you have experience working with a jin — ah, never mind. That doesn't matter."

Kakashi dropped his gaze, looking down at the living room floor. Yuiko's figure appeared again as he recalled the memory.

" _Come on! You can do it! Show Kakashi so he knows I wasn't lying!"_

 _A baby toddled over to her, wobbling precariously as he pushed out his chubby arms to stay balanced. He finally reached her, Yuiko scooping him up into her arms with joy. She pressed her cheek against his, squishing the whisker-like lines that ran across the baby's cheeks._

" _Did you see? He's a genius! Most babies can't walk this early, from what Mikoto told me!"_

 _She looked up at Kakashi, beaming. "He's going to be an amazing shinobi, just as strong as his mom and dad!"_

 _The baby burped, spitting up on her. "Aww, come on!" she frowned, looking down at her shirt. "Noodles?! When did you eat noodles?"_

"I'll do it," Kakashi said mildly, putting down the milk. "I'll see if they have what it takes to be genin. No promises if they fail, though."

"Of course," the third Hokage said with a smirk.

.

* * *

.

Kakashi laid stretched out on the roof of his apartment complex. He had his hands behind his head, passively looking up into the night sky. It was a clear night — that, plus a warm breeze, gave him enough reason to pause as he was headed out that evening.

 _It's been a while since I talked to you,_ he thought, tracing the stars of the Five-Tails constellation with his eye. The sixteen-star constellation wasn't fully visible this time of year, but he could clearly distinguish the stars making up the body and three of the tails on the Northwest horizon.

 _My students are doing well. It will be time for the Chūnin Exams soon. I think they're ready for it. Sasuke has the skill, to be sure. He needs to work on trusting his teammates, but I think he's starting to warm up to the others. Sakura is good at putting on a show of determination. I can tell she's worried about not being able to keep up with the boys; but if she can turn that doubt into a driving force to improve, she'll have more than what it takes to make chūnin. And Naruto … there's always something new with Naruto. The way he brings people together … I don't think I've seen anything like it since Minato-Sensei. It's funny, since he's about as far from his father's demeanor as you can get. But he picks up on things much quicker than I was expecting, considering he was bottom of his class at graduation. His skill set is growing every day. He's going to be an amazing shinobi, just like his parents._

Kakashi sat up, picking up his knapsack as he brought himself to his feet. He made one more glance at the sky, before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

—

"So do you think we can go get dinner or something? I'm starvin'!" Naruto whined, sitting cross-legged on the ground. Sasuke ignored the comment, remaining motionless as he leaned against the great archway of the village entrance.

"Here, I probably have something," Sakura mumbled, reaching into her bag. She jumped, startled by the popping sound behind her. The contents of her bag, including a sandwich and some apples, tumbled to the ground.

"Ah, there's my precious students!" Kakashi chirped from behind her, holding up his hand in greeting.

"Ka- Kakashi-Sensei!" Sakura squeaked as she whipped her head around.

"Finally!" Naruto shouted, getting to his feet.

"Oh? What's this?" Kakashi said, leaning over to study Sakura's spilled belongings. "Having a picnic? Sorry, but I'm afraid you'll need to pack up. We have a mission to get to, as you know."

Sakura watched him in disbelief as he casually strolled by, pulling a book out from his side pouch. Sasuke pushed himself from the column, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he followed.

"You heard him, Sakura, come on!" Naruto yelled excitedly, his hunger forgotten as he rushed under the gate.

"I wonder what his excuse for being late is this time?" Sakura mumbled as she caught up to the group.

Kakashi opened his book, smiling as they joined him at his side.

.

* * *

.

"I never saw the twist coming, to be honest," Kakashi chuckled. "To think that Akihiko's brother was the secret admirer chasing after Takara all this time really surprised me."

Kakashi raised his gaze from the book, looking across the grassy training field. Sometimes he liked to imagine a woman curiously peeking out at him from behind one of the trees. Her violet eyes would gleam in curiosity as she shyly closed the distance between them. Yuiko would smile sweetly, asking if he liked his book. Kakashi would return her smile, and Yuiko would sit in the grass and become a captivated audience as he outlined the action, romance, and mystery of his story.

It was similar to how he saw Rin kneeling next to him in the graveyard and Obito leaning casually against the blue memorial stone. They all existed on a plane that the real world could never reach — perfect duplicates of his loved ones, pieced together by the fragments he hoarded in his mind. Yuiko was no different, even though she may still have been alive. Even so, it didn't matter. The Yuiko in his mind was a construct of what might have been, not what she actually was.

Being able to revisit his duplicates over and over gave him an escape; an excuse to think even for a moment that he could be truly happy. It was like they granted him the ability to fly, although he could only go so high before their weights drug him back down. Their guilt would pull him back and chain him where he started; a reminder that he was a failure.

But Kakashi was worse than a failure. He was scum. He was scum because there was one person that he couldn't bear to create a duplicate of; one friend that he couldn't bring himself to look in the eye, even if it was just a fantasy. He couldn't bear to look at Noboru and tell him that he still loved the person who killed him. He couldn't — wouldn't — imagine the look of hurt and betrayal on his face. Instead, Kakashi took the memories of his friend and buried them so deep even a Yamanaka couldn't excavate them from his mind. But despite all that, Noboru's presence seeped through, fueling Kakashi's feelings of self-loathing whenever he dared to imagine Yuiko timidly looking back at him.

Kakashi had long ago learned to live with the self-hatred associated with Yuiko's manifestation, and had come to accept it. It was his punishment for allowing even a sliver of himself to go against his own moral code and betray Konoha's will. And Yuiko was the greatest punishment he could ever ask for: She gave him hope.

The hope that Yuiko was still alive somewhere helped Kakashi cling to her memory and shake off any notion of ever letting go. Maybe someday he would be able to forgive himself for Obito and Rin, but as long as Yuiko lived, he could never forgive himself for Noboru. He could never look back on his feelings for Yuiko and silently tuck them away. No, she would be with him forever to make sure he never moved forward, just as he deserved. He would live with the shadow of her in his heart, and no more.

"Ah, sorry," Kakashi said, his eye turning up in a smile as he regarded the empty field. "I got distracted. I'm sure you want to hear about the next chapter …"

.

* * *

.

"Yuiko?"

Yuiko stopped in her tracks, turning timidly to look down at Kakashi. The logical part of his brain switched off as he stared at her in astonishment.

 _Am I imagining things?_

He remembered the escort mission for the jewel dealer. He recalled going back to camp, and being knocked out after an explosion. Now he was in a small room, looking up at what could only be a hallucination.

Yuiko's hair was down, and longer than he remembered. There were other small inconsistencies — from the shape of her face, to her height, and the way she looked down at him as if she were caught between fear and relief. He had never imagined her looking at him this way.

 _You're real._

It had been thirteen years since he last saw her. Thirteen years since he made fun of her for reading those over-the-top romance novels. Thirteen years since she showed him how to find all the Tailed Beast constellations in the sky. Thirteen years since he held her hand by the river, wishing now that he had never let go.

 _I missed you, Yuiko. Please, don't leave again._

The rational part of his brain nagged at him, bringing the faces of two other people important to him front and center.

"Naruto and Sakura — where are they?" he asked her. Sakura ran into the room, relieved to see him conscious. Kakashi watched Yuiko's face soften as Sakura explained what happened with the shinobi who attacked them. Yuiko looked away when she noticed him, spots of sunlight dancing across her hair as she gazed out the small window.

 _I need to be keep it together,_ he thought. _If I slip, even a little, then I'll fall in head-first._


	61. Chapter 61

"I'm sorry ... about back then," Kakashi said, holding Yuiko close. "When you told me you loved me, I couldn't face it. It terrified me. I was afraid if I acknowledged it, if I said it out loud, then I would lose you. And I couldn't … I can't … I can't lose you too."

Yuiko's skin glowed faintly with a white light as he spoke, tears falling silently down her cheeks.

"When I died," Kakashi continued, "something hit me. This feeling of anxiety that I couldn't explain. Later, I realized it was because I couldn't handle the thought of moving on without you. I knew that if I had stayed there and not come back to life, then the only option would be to wait for you like my father waited for me. No matter how long it took. I was going to wait at that spot by the river."

"The river?" Yuiko asked, confused.

"Ah," he smiled. "Where you told me how you would do anything to protect those who were precious to you. The way you looked at me with such conviction … and when it hit me that I was one of those people you were talking about, how I was precious to you … you really did a number on me."

Yuiko laughed. "I can't believe that was it. The time when you lectured me for saying something so stupid."

"But it was true, wasn't it? Your conviction — it's the same reason you fought to protect Naruto from Noboru even though you thought you would die. And why you went after Tenzō when the enemy took him."

Yuiko pulled herself away, looking down guiltily.

"We'll get him back," Kakashi said, lifting her chin. "He's my friend, too. And a shinobi of Konoha. We'll bring him home."

Yuiko smiled half-heartedly. Kakashi tilted his head as he studied her. "What's happening to you?"

Yuiko lifted her hand to get a closer look at the glow emanating from her skin. "I feel …" she paused, trying to find the right words. "Before, I had this pain like I was being forced to fit into a space that was too small. That pain is gone, but now it's like … something is pulling me. It's not bad. It's like a friend trying to lead me somewhere."

Kakashi didn't respond. Yuiko raised her gaze back to his face. She studied him curiously. "I don't think I've seen you cry before."

Kakashi's eyes turned up as he smiled. "Eh, well, I don't normally need to cry when I'm around you."

Yuiko smiled. "That was so cheesy — Jiraiya would have loved that line," she joked, wiping the tear off his face. Kakashi reached up, clasping her hand.

"I still have my request, right?" he asked. Yuiko frowned, taking her a few seconds to remember the request he won from their last sparring session.

"Please, don't leave me," Kakashi whispered.

Relief washed over Yuiko's face. "Oh. Good, I thought you were going to ask for something hard."

She lifted her hand, placing her glowing skin against his chest. "I'll never leave you," she said, a smile growing on her lips. "The people you love are always with you. It does hurt, sometimes, when I think about how I can't talk to them anymore. But the pain … it reminds me of how much I loved them. The memories of their love wouldn't mean as much if I didn't also feel the pain of their loss. And I've shared that with you — both the pain, and the love. That's how you'll always know I'm there."

Yuiko put her arms around his shoulders, squeezing him tightly. Her skin began to glow brighter. She quickly pulled herself back, wiping her tears away with the back of her sleeve. "Someday you'll have to tell me about all the good books that haven't come out yet," she said, her voice growing urgent as she felt her time slipping away. "The Sword-Crossed Lovers was getting a sequel. I was … looking forward to that one."

She shook her head, pushing the thought away. "There's a box under my cot back in Konoha. It has some stuff in it that was for the Rinne Festival. The ink stone is for Sai and the architecture books are for Yamato. There should be some hair pins for Sakura and a pair of pajamas for Naruto. Did you know he only has one pair that fits? Um …" Yuiko shook her head again, trying to stay focused.

"There are two things in there that are for you. The first is a watch, but that was just a joke." Yuiko's chuckle came out as more of a gasp as she wiped her eyes again. "The notebook is your real present. I know you'd played off writing your own novel as a joke, but I think you should. You have some great ideas, and I think you'd be really good at it!"

"Ah," Kakashi nodded, fighting to keep his composure.

"Oh!" Yuiko said, her eyes growing wide. "And tell Naruto … tell Naruto I said … happy birthday." Yuiko dipped her head down, taking a shuddering breath. She looked up, doing her best to smile. "I'll be waiting for you, Kakashi. By the river. And you better make me wait for a long time, if you don't want me to be upset."

Kakashi nodded again, his voice caught in his throat. Yuiko put her hand on his cheek. Kakashi took a shuddering breath, finally losing his composure. Her hand felt so much colder compared to the last time. He closed his eyes, fighting to gain back control of his emotions. He couldn't retreat into himself, not now. He needed to tell her, at least one more time —

His eyes snapped open as Yuiko's lips brushed against his mask. He sat motionless, not daring to move as she kissed him. Yuiko slowly pulled herself away; Kakashi's subconscious breaking through as he reached up to pull his mask down with one hand while he cupped the side of Yuiko's face with the other. As he pulled her toward him, her body suddenly burst into a white light. Kakashi shaded his eyes as the ash that had been containing Yuiko fell apart before him. He stood, looking up at the transparent form of Yuiko as she floated above, her violet eyes sparkling.

"I love you, Kakashi," she said, her voice echoing around him.

Kakashi reached his hand out to hers; he was dismayed when it passed through her.

"I love you, Yuiko," he said. Yuiko's form dissipated into small orbs of light. The orbs blinked around him before fading, leaving only the darkening sky as the sun disappeared from above the treetops.

Kakashi's clone turned, disappearing into the tree line. He felt as if a pit had opened up in his chest, and he fought to keep the pain from consuming him whole. Dismissing himself was now out of the question; at least until he knew what condition his original was in. A sudden wave of the emotions he was carrying could cause a fatal mistake if he wasn't careful. Yuiko had entrusted him with information they could use to defeat the masked man, and no matter how much he wanted to join her, he had to pass that information on and keep fighting for this world.

He made his way back through the forest, skidding to a stop as he reached the edge of the crater. Studying the scene below, he spotted his original and their comrades. They were facing the masked man, but they did not appear to be engaged in combat.

 _I'm sorry I have to do this to you._

He brought his hand to his chest, letting out a deep breath.

"Release."

Kakashi's clone disappeared in a plume of smoke.

—

Kakashi furrowed his brow, frantically piecing together the information around him. Himself, Guy, Naruto, and B stood before the masked man, the ground shaking apart as the demonic statue behind Madara cried out in agony.

 _He told us he doesn't need the Ten-Tails to be completed for it to revive,_ he thought. _That's how he's doing this now — trying to bring the Ten-Tails back to life with only a portion of the chakra from the beasts within Naruto and B. He must have also taken a portion of Yuiko's chakra along the way._

Kakashi's chest grew tight, but he pushed the feeling away as he tried to focus.

 _Stopping the Ten-Tails' transformation before it's complete is crucial. If Naruto can distract the masked man for long enough, I might be able to take off the statue's head with my kamui before anyone can react._

"Naruto!" he called out. "You know about his abilities, right? Your window of opportunity —"

Kakashi stopped, gasping as he fell to his knees.

"Hey, Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto yelled, concerned.

Kakashi was breathing heavily, his eyes rapidly darting back and forth as he stared at the ground.

"Oi, Kakashi!" Guy yelled, kneeling down next to him. "What's wrong? Kakashi?!"

Guy shook Kakashi by the shoulder, breaking him out of whatever trance he was in. Kakashi moved slowly, lifting his head to look up at the masked man. Naruto's breath caught in his chest. He had never seen Kakashi look at anyone like that. He was … still; as if every fiber of his being was concentrated on his intent to take the masked man apart, piece by piece. Guy withdrew his hand as if he had touched a flame. He actually appeared frightened, and a slight panic fluttered in Naruto's stomach as he looked between the two, confused.

Kakashi stood, almost mechanically, keeping his eyes on the masked man.

"That man," he said, hatred seeping into his voice, "he killed her."

Naruto looked at him in shock, his chest growing tight. "Who? Who are you talking about, Kakashi-Sensei?"

Kakashi glanced at him briefly, the hatred in his eyes parting to reveal a glimmer of sadness. Naruto swallowed hard, recognizing the last time he saw Kakashi make that look. Back when they had first met Yuiko, and Kakashi held her as she bled in his arms.

"You mean Yuiko?" Naruto said hesitantly. "How would you know that? Maybe he just got some of her chakra somehow, like he did with me and Octopops."

"No," Kakashi said. "She's gone."

Guy frowned, gripping Kakashi reassuringly on his shoulder. B, who towered above them in his Tailed Beast form, hunched over, lowering his head. Naruto clenched his fists, hot tears forming at the edge of his eyes. He reached his hand up, tightly gripping the material of his jacket above his chest. "Kakashi-Sensei," Naruto said slowly. "Maybe you're wrong. Yuiko wouldn't —"

"Naruto," Kakashi said firmly. "Now is not the time. We must deal with the enemy before us." Kakashi schooled his features into an impartial mask. Naruto stared back at him incredulously. His student was clearly teetering on the edge of chastising Kakashi for the cold-hearted remark. Kakashi couldn't allow that to happen. Naruto needed to stay focused in order to survive.

Kakashi spoke just as Naruto opened his mouth. "Yuiko gave us information on how to fight Madara. Don't squander her efforts to protect you, Naruto."

Naruto deflated. He dropped his gaze, the hand gripping the front of his jacket trembling slightly. Kakashi closed his eyes for a moment, opening them again as he regarded the masked man. "Guy, Naruto, B," he said, recalling the information Yuiko had told him about the masked man's abilities. "There's something I want to test. Please, help me out."

Kakashi kept his eyes fixed on the lifeless mask. His gaze lingered on the sharingan that resided in the man's right eye, a mirror of his own.

 _Even if you are who I suspect,_ Kakashi thought, his eyes narrowing, _I will kill you without fail._


	62. Chapter 62

Obito Uchiha was a genius.

The idea had come to him in the early hours of the morning; he had nearly face-planted into the wall when he leapt out of bed while still tangled in the covers. It took him the better part of two hours to fully flesh out his plan, but when it was finished he had held the slip of paper up with as much pride as his graduation diploma. He would have this framed, too, if it all worked out.

An unexpected side effect of working on his genius plan was that Obito was now late for training.

"Obito, don't miss breakfast today, alright?" a voice from outside his door said.

"I won't, Grandma!" Obito yelled as he dove into a pile of dirty laundry. He gagged, pulling himself out of the mound of sweaty clothes — minus a forehead protector. Obito groaned in frustration as he absentmindedly started to fling laundry, training weapons, and whatever else happened to be on the floor. His whirlwind of destruction circled about his room until he finally reached the pile of crumpled papers from the previous drafts of his morning project. He let out a triumphant whoop when something metallic gleamed back at him from under the papers. Obito pulled out his forehead protector, tying it over his brows with a proud grin. He puffed out his chest, placing his hands on his hips to strike his best 'kick-ass shinobi' pose. Today was going to be step one in his brilliant plan, and nothing could bring him down from that. He nodded, glancing at the clock to see how much time he had before he needed to get going.

The color drained from Obito's face.

—

"Do you honestly think we don't have anything better to do than wait around for you?" Kakashi asked, his voice dripping with contempt. He crossed his arms over his chest as he regarded an out-of-breath Obito heaving against a nearby tree.

"Now, now," Minato said, ruffling Kakashi's hair to the boy's displeasure. "I'm sure Obito has a good explanation."

Obito took in another deep gulp of air. He raised his head sheepishly to regard his companions. Minato and Rin were watching him hopefully, while Kakashi seemed to be trying to set Obito ablaze with his eyes alone.

"I, uh," Obito said, uncertain. Normally he _did_ have valid excuses for his tardiness, but today he was late for more selfish reasons than usual. "I got lost … on the road … of life?" He smiled nervously, knowing that it was a poor excuse even for him.

The corner of Kakashi's eye twitched. He turned around, walking away without a word. Minato let out a relieved sigh. He was glad that Kakashi was refraining from going off on a tangent about punctuality, but he did still have to worry about the boy's stress level. Minato also had to keep a close eye on Obito during sparring today, since it wasn't beneath Kakashi to "forget" to switch out his training weapons with real ones in situations like these.

"We can walk to training together from now on, if you want, Obito," Rin said sweetly. "That way we can help each other be here on time."

Minato couldn't have been any more grateful for Rin. She was the glue keeping this team together: No matter how hard Obito and Kakashi pulled in opposite directions, Rin was there to keep them from completely severing that bond.

"Yeah, I'd like that!" Obito beamed. He had finished catching his breath, and the three of them joined Kakashi, who was standing out in the center of the training field.

"You smell terrible," Kakashi said, glaring at Obito. Obito was raising his fists as Minato stepped between the two boys.

"Alright," Minato said as if nothing was amiss. "We're going to start off with chakra control exercises today, then finish up with some light sparring. Now make sure to watch me closely for the demonstration, then I'm going to break everything down into smaller steps …"

—

"Hey, Kakashi!"

Kakashi stopped himself from running. He had absolutely no interest in staying put, though he knew Minato-Sensei and Rin would be upset with him if they found out he took off. He stopped his casual gait in the middle of the bustling street to turn slightly and regard Obito as he ran up.

"Hey!" Obito said, coming to a stop before him. "I just wanted to say I was sorry for being late at training earlier. No hard feelings, alright?"

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "This conversation wouldn't even be happening if you took your position as a shinobi seriously."

Obito looked outraged as he puffed out his chest and opened his mouth. But he uncharacteristically snapped his mouth closed and dropped his eyes to the ground. His clenched fists still betrayed his animosity, but he seemed to be making an effort to control himself. Kakashi watched him curiously, wondering if Minato-Sensei was putting him through some sort of test to see if he could spot if Obito was a fake. He ultimately concluded that if Minato was to put him through a test of that nature, then his sensei would most likely disguise himself as someone less pathetic.

"You're … right," Obito choked. Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise. Maybe the person in front of him really wasn't Obito.

"You're so —" Obito's face contorted into a painful expression, "— _cool_ and all … I was wondering if you wanted to train, and … you can teach me how to be a shinobi just as _amazing_ as you are."

Kakashi considered saying that only divine intervention would accomplish that task, but decided against it based on the anguished look on Obito's face. Kakashi inhaled deeply, letting the air out slowly through his nose. "Fine. I'll … try."

Obito's face lit up, although Kakashi noticed something almost sinister flash behind his eyes. "Oh man, you're the best!" Obito exclaimed. "How about the day after tomorrow, at my place around 4 o'clock?"

"Sure," Kakashi shrugged.

"Great!" Obito said as he started to run past him. "Thanks! You won't regret it!"

 _Too late,_ Kakashi thought, watching his teammate disappear into the crowd.

—

Obito had spent all of the previous day undertaking part two of his master plan. As it turned out, it was easy — _painfully_ easy. _Annoyingly_ easy. It had been so easy that he was actually feeling pissed off by the end of the day. In fact, as word-of-mouth spread, there were plenty of others practically doing the work for him.

The first group he approached the day after he made arrangements with Kakashi had included Kurenai Yūhi and her friends as they sat at a small table outside the dango shop. Kurenai was among the group of kids from the academy who wouldn't laugh at him when he got his ass kicked in sparring or missed the targets during kunai practice. She was a prime candidate for his master plan if he got it to work out.

He'd had a rough start on his explanation, since Kurenai was the only one among the group to regard him passively while he stuttered. The other girls watched him with mild annoyance, up until he mentioned a certain masked someone.

' _Wait,'_ one of the girls had said, slamming her hands on the table as she sprang to her feet, _'you're saying you're doing this so Kakashi can find a girlfriend?!'_

Obito's subsequent explanation about Kakashi being 'too shy' to find a girl on his own was so paper-thin that anyone could have seen through it — that is, if they had cared too. But Kakashi was a prodigy, which made him popular in its own right. He also projected an attitude of total indifference toward most people, which for some reason drove the girls to him in flocks.

That was how Obito found himself shuffling nervously around his living room the following day as over two dozen girls chatted around him. He didn't recognize most of them; it seemed that a few of the girls from his class had invited 'friends of friends' as word spread. It was better than he could have hoped; everything was going according to plan, and all he could do now was be optimistic that it would work out.

The idea had come to him as he was languishing over Rin's admiration of Kakashi. Obito had been harboring a crush on Rin for as long as he could remember, but he had recently started to worry that her feelings for their other teammate might be evolving into something more than just respect. He lamented that if stupid Kakashi would just get a girlfriend, then he wouldn't have anything to worry about.

That's when it hit him: All he had to do was get stupid Kakashi a girlfriend! Why any girl would _want_ to be his girlfriend Obito had no clue, but he couldn't deny that there were plenty who were interested. Maybe if he got Kakashi to talk to some of them instead of spending all his time being a social outcast, Kakashi would get a girlfriend and Rin would be able to see that Obito had been the perfect one for her all along. It was quite brilliant, he was proud to say.

At a knock on the door, Obito squeezed between a girl with long, blonde hair and another with wavy, black hair who seemed to immediately dismiss his presence. Even though they were all at his house, the girls there paid him as little mind as if he were using a camouflage jutsu. The one person who he'd thought he'd be able to talk to — Kurenai — hadn't even shown up. He was torn between resenting her for the lack of company and respecting her for her good taste.

Obito opened the door, his face splitting into a grin as his gaze met a drooping pair of steel-grey eyes. Kakashi looked back at him indifferently until his gaze drifted to the people behind him. Obito quickly stepped to the side and forcefully planted his hand between Kakashi's shoulder blades. He pushed Kakashi into the living room, slamming the door behind them. Kakashi's brows furrowed as he looked about, the chatter among the girls present breaking into fits of giggles.

"Glad you made it!" Obito said cheerfully, patting Kakashi on the shoulder. "You know, I _completely_ forgot that I had a little get-together planned for today. Silly me! But hey, since I know you cleared your schedule to come by, why not stay a while, huh?"

Kakashi looked at him, his expression unreadable. Obito's heart was beating so fast that he could hear it drumming in his ears. He had planned for the possibility that Kakashi would try to kill him, but he was gambling that his teammate would hold back among all these witnesses. Maybe. Hopefully.

Kakashi shrugged. He turned away from Obito and approached one of the groups of girls, politely introducing himself. Obito fought the urge to collapse in relief and instead took a seat at the other end of the room to keep an eye on Kakashi and make sure he didn't try to make a break for it. Amazingly, he didn't — as time passed, Kakashi made his way around the room and seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself as he conversed with the girls. Obito even heard him laugh a few times, and although Obito was quite inexperienced in the world of dating himself, he still picked up on some subtle flirting from Kakashi. Everything was going so well that Obito was almost bursting with excitement. He didn't even notice when someone knocked on the door a few times before letting themselves in.

"I can't believe you'd have a party and not even invite me!"

Obito glanced to his right, grimacing in horror. Rin was looking down at him with a disappointed expression. She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head as she awaited an explanation.

"Uh, well," Obito said, the gears in his mind grinding together as he tried to come up with an excuse. "It was kind of a last-minute thing and, uh —"

A round of laughter broke out across the room, and Rin turned her head to regard the noise. Obito's face flushed when he noticed her looking straight at Kakashi. She watched him for a moment before turning back to Obito. "Who is that?" Rin asked, tilting her head in Kakashi's direction.

Obito froze.

 _Huh?_

"That's …" Obito said, some doubt starting to sink in, "That's Kakashi."

Rin gave him a look of concern for his sanity. She rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "Obito, I know you and Kakashi are having some trouble getting along right now, but it's _not_ OK to have someone here acting like him as a joke. I know you wouldn't intend for it to be mean, but if Kakashi found out it could hurt his feelings. So I'm going to go ask your friend to stop, alright?"

Rin didn't wait for Obito to answer before she turned around and walked purposefully to the other end of the room. She tapped 'Kakashi' on the shoulder, holding her hand up over her mouth as she whispered something in his ear. 'Kakashi' seemed to grow distressed, waving his arms about frantically as Rin shook her head. She said something in a sharp tone and 'Kakashi' hung his head as if he were a child being scolded by his mother. There was a puff of smoke, and Obito recognized his old classmate Genma Shiranui standing in his place. The room fell deathly silent.

"Who the hell is that?" one of the girls muttered. Genma laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head with one hand.

"I told you not to talk to me anymore!" the girl with the long, blonde hair snapped, pointing at Genma accusingly. Genma started to stutter an apology when the girl whipped about and forcefully opened the front door. She walked out with a huff, and the other girls followed her lead while shooting Genma and Obito equally nasty looks.

Obito wanted to jump to his feet and strangle Genma for fooling him, but he didn't want to accidentally give away his motivation for the whole fiasco in front of Rin. Instead, he forcefully pushed Genma out and kicked himself for not noticing before that Kakashi had been an impostor. Like the girls who had fooled themselves into believing his ruse of Kakashi looking for a girlfriend, Obito had blindly believed that Genma was really Kakashi even though there were a million clues indicating otherwise.

"Sorry if I ruined your party," Rin said sheepishly. Obito whirled about, his frustration melting away in an instant from the guilty look on Rin's face.

"N-no!" Obito said in a panic. "My grandma was going to be home soon anyway, so it was about time for them to leave!" Obito laughed, although it was apparent that Rin didn't find it convincing.

"I have a little bit of time," Rin said with a weak smile, "if you don't mind just hanging out with me."

Obito didn't. The two of them sat in his living room, which felt a lot more welcoming now that it wasn't filled with strangers. Obito would trade spending time with a room full of other girls for Rin any day. In the end, he wasn't feeling as upset as he'd expected that his master plan had failed. Just spending time with Rin and making her laugh made up for all of that.

Rin excused herself after a short amount of time, letting Obito know that she had to make it home for dinner. She paused as her hand gripped the door handle. "Obito?"

"Y-Yeah?" Obito said, a hopeful expression on his face. There was a poof of smoke, and Rin transformed into Kakashi. Even with the mask, his cold expression was clear as day.

Obito let out an undignified yelp.

"I gave you not one, but two chances to spot a fake," Kakashi said. "I hope you can see now why you need to take your training seriously." He opened the door, not bothering to close it behind him as he made his way out into the street.

Obito's shock was soon replaced by mounting rage. "What the hell is your problem?!" he shouted as he ran into the street. "How could you trick me like that?!"

Kakashi stopped, turning to regard Obito. "I should ask you the same thing," he said, a hint of venom in his voice.

Obito's rage subsided, and he suddenly felt guilty. Kakashi had actually shown up expecting to spend time with him. He honestly hadn't thought Kakashi would care either way, but something gave Obito the feeling that Kakashi was disappointed. It was completely unexpected; Obito wasn't sure what to say. He looked down at his feet, fidgeting uncomfortably. "Hey, so," Obito said, turning his head away. "I just … thought I was doing something nice for you."

"I don't need your help," Kakashi snapped. He then seemed to second guess himself, his eyebrows drooping. "I'm not … looking for anything like that right now. You don't have to do things like that for my sake."

Obito nodded, keeping his expression hidden. The two boys stood in silence, both contemplating how to rectify the situation.

"Having Genma pretend to be you _was_ sort of funny," Obito admitted.

"His impersonation skills need work," Kakashi replied.

Obito's expression grew thoughtful. "Did Genma know that you were going to show up disguised as Rin?"

"No."

A surprised laugh escaped Obito's throat. It was an odd sensation, it being the first time Kakashi had ever done something to make him laugh that wasn't a shortcoming on Kakashi's part. It almost made up for the fact that Kakashi tricked him into believing he had been Rin. Almost. That part still stung, and Obito was _definitely_ going to get Kakashi back for that … some other day.

Obito raised his eyes to meet Kakashi's, a wry smile growing on his face. "So, I mean, if there ever _is_ a girl you like — like _that_ — then I'll talk you up real good. Tell her you're great and all."

"Thanks," Kakashi said simply. Obito's smile turned into a grimace when he noticed that Kakashi seemed to be studying him.

"I'll … do the same for you," Kakashi offered hesitantly. "If there's a girl you like, that is."

Obito laughed again, although far less genuinely. His faux amusement turned into gasps as he choked on his own saliva. Kakashi watched him dubiously as he got a hold of himself. "Ye-yeah," Obito said, plastering a smile on his face. "Thanks, Kakashi. I guess you're not always a jerk."

Kakashi huffed. He turned his back to Obito and walked toward the entrance of the Uchiha compound without so much as a second glance. A goofy grin grew on Obito's face as he watched him go.


	63. Chapter 63

"You've been suffering all this time, haven't you, Kakashi?"

The still water Kakashi stood upon was a perfect reflection of the dusky sky above him. The sky was a deep purple, fading to pink as it touched the horizon. The scene would have been nothing but sky and water had it not been for the figure of a woman standing with her back to him; long purple hair billowing about in a non-existent breeze. Yuiko turned to face him, a pleasant smile on her face.

"You've been suffering all this time," she repeated, clasping her hands to her chest. "And the thing that you imagine will end all that suffering … is me." Yuiko lifted a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "It's flattering, but I don't believe it's true."

Yuiko walked toward him, small ripples forming in the water with each step. She reached Kakashi and clasped her hands behind her back as she smiled at him sweetly. "What is it that you really want, Kakashi?"

Kakashi fought the urge to reach out. He knew this wasn't real. He knew that she would crumple away the moment he touched her. But the worst part was that he knew that she didn't have to. If he willed it, he could stay here with her forever. But there was a part of him that wouldn't let that happen; the part of him who he was speaking to now.

"I … can't," Kakashi said, choking on the words. "Yuiko, if I say it —"

"You think it would hurt her," Yuiko said, her voice soft. "You think it would hurt her to say that you don't want to kill Obito."

Kakashi bowed his head in shame. He was weak. No matter how much rage boiled inside him toward the man who killed the woman he loved, it all melted away once the mask came off. All he could see was his childhood friend who wanted nothing more than to be Hokage and make Rin happy. He had completely lost his conviction.

"I wish I could be as strong as you," he said, not daring to look her in the eye. "Noboru was your best friend, but you found the strength to kill him when you needed to. Obito … Obito killed you, and so many others, and he's planning to trap the world in a dream." Kakashi looked up at Yuiko with a pained expression. "But I can't. I can't kill him. Why can't I let him go?"

Yuiko smiled knowingly. "You have a bad habit of clinging to things, if you haven't noticed." She tilted her head to the side as a thoughtful expression fell across her face. "Do you think she would hate you for wanting to show him mercy?"

"I …" Kakashi trailed off, uncertain.

"The way you fixate on the past," Yuiko continued, "it's unhealthy, but it also reminds you of the good in people, doesn't it?" Kakashi watched Yuiko skeptically as she started to walk around him. "Remember when you first saw Yuiko again after all those years? What do you think would have happened if you had pushed away any of the good memories and only focused on the story you'd been told?"

Kakashi dropped his gaze in thought. "I probably …" he said, hesitating slightly, "… I probably would have tried to kill her."

"Ah, you had plenty of chances to kill her. Just like you've had plenty of chances with Obito. But you didn't; you showed them both mercy."

Kakashi shook his head. "But this … this is more than just Obito and I. If I don't kill him —"

Yuiko's pacing came to a halt.

"You may have to."

Kakashi raised his eyes in surprise. Yuiko regarded him with a somber expression. "You may have to kill him," she continued. "Noboru was too far gone to be brought back. Obito may be the same way. But you can try, Kakashi. You can try, and at the very least, you can release Obito from the pain. The Obito you know would not want the world to be enslaved to a false reality. If the Obito you know still exists within that man, he must be in a constant state of anguish. Save him, Kakashi."

Yuiko reached her hand out to him. Kakashi looked at it gravely. "How long has it been since he hit me with the genjutsu?"

"Two seconds," Yuiko replied. "I think he's planning on leaving you here."

Kakashi nodded. Only a few seconds ago, Obito had used the power of his sharingan to bring them both to the place Kakashi assumed was the dimension Yuiko had told him about. He recalled standing on a large cube, floating in a void that only possessed a handful of other similar-sized cubes. Then Obito's sharingan flashed, and he was here.

Kakashi raised his eyes to meet Yuiko's. "Will you be there with me?"

Yuiko smiled. "Always."

Kakashi took her hand. Yuiko's image shattered as if she were made of glass. Kakashi opened his eyes to reality.

"Obito."

Obito's brow furrowed. It seemed that he wasn't expecting Kakashi to break out of the genjutsu so quickly.

Kakashi regarded the man who he had thought until earlier that day had been dead for almost 20 years. The man who, despite everything that had happened, he couldn't bring himself to kill.

 _Yuiko … I'm sorry. But the man before me, the man that killed you, he's not the Obito I knew. The Obito who might still be in there. I want things to be different. I don't want this to end the same way it did with Noboru. Forgive me._

"You've been suffering all this time," Obito said, a concerned look on his face. Kakashi realized that the first words he heard Yuiko say in the genjutsu must have been by Obito's own design.

"You've suffered as you stood at Rin's grave, and my own," Obito continued. "Enough already, Kakashi; you don't have to suffer anymore."

Kakashi looked down to his right as something shimmered in his vision. A figure appeared — the spitting image of Obito, just as he remembered him from his youth.

"Your ideal version of me is here," the real Obito said sternly.

"I'm going to be Hokage!" the child said confidently, his voice echoing into the void surrounding them. Kakashi couldn't ignore how hollow it sounded. The fake grinned broadly, fiddling with the orange goggles atop his head.

"And so is Rin," Obito said.

Kakashi looked to his left, down at the girl smiling up at him. Her brown eyes grew wide, tucking her hands shyly behind her back.

"I love you, Kakashi!" she chirped. The imitation was almost perfect. Considering how much Obito cared for Rin, it made sense that it would be. But Kakashi had committed Rin's likeness to his memory long ago, and there was something off in the way this Rin looked at him. The familiar glimmer of admiration behind her eyes was absent. This Rin was a reflection of Obito's impression of her, not of his own. Which was for the best; Kakashi wouldn't have been able to keep his resolve against the latter.

"You can wish for whatever you want," Obito said, cutting through Kakashi's thoughts. "You can have anything you desire in this genjutsu world."

Kakashi could picture her perfectly in his mind. Yuiko stood with her back to him, surrounded by a white light. She turned around, smiling in delight as she spotted him.

" _I love you, Kakashi."_

Electricity crackled around Kakashi's hand as he sliced through the genjutsu illusions of Obito and Rin in a whirl of smoke. "You're wrong," he said sternly, glaring at Obito. "I have not been suffering this whole time. I've had my friends — people who I cared about — to remind me what's important in _this_ world."

Kakashi dismissed the lighting cutter, placing his hand on his chest. "Rin is gone, Obito. But she has not been forgotten. Her, and others …" he paused, tightly gripping the material of his jacket, "... others who I've lost, I still have them here with me. Always. The hole in your heart — you can't fill it with delusions. You're still here! Don't erase the memories of the real Rin with an impostor!"

Obito scowled, narrowing his eyes. "All your tedious whitewashing ..." he said, shaking his head in disappointment. "One can only achieve true happiness by abandoning reality and doing away with the painful memories. The only way to go forward is to break the bonds holding you back!"

Kakashi loosened his grip on his jacket, lowering his arm.

 _Is this it, then? Are you really gone after all?_

"Someone told me once," Kakashi said, "that in this world, those who break the rules are scum. But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum. And those who don't care about the feelings their friends hold in their heart are even worse than that!"

Something stirred within Obito. It was painful, and it tried to claw its way out of his subconscious. It was the same feeling he had for a moment when he fought the Five-Tails: The way that woman had looked at him was the same way Kakashi was looking at him now. There was conviction, a driving force to fight for something more precious than their own life. The conviction to fight for the sake of someone else.

"I won't let you," Kakashi said, lighting crackling around his arm. "I won't let you try to override the memories of the people I hold in my heart! Those memories are as precious to me as the people themselves, and your fakes can never hold up to that!"

Obito grimaced. He recalled a memory from long ago, when Rin's smiling face transformed into Kakashi's cold glare in a poof of smoke. Obito remembered how much it stung when he realized that the person before him hadn't been the real Rin.

 _Is that … what this is? Will I still feel that betrayal within the infinite dream?_

"There are still things worth living for in this reality," Kakashi said softly. "It's not too late, Obito."

 _Don't look at me ..._ Obito thought, baring his teeth. _Don't look at me as if you pity me._

Kakashi closed his eyes with a sigh. He opened them again, the sharingan in his left eye spinning. "It looks like I can't say anything that will bring the old you back," he said, readying himself into a fighting stance. "There is only one way I can help you now."

Obito steadied his thoughts, pushing his hesitations deep within himself. "I don't need your help," he said solemnly, raising his arms to mirror Kakashi.

The former friends rushed toward each other, their movements transforming into blurs as they sought to put an end to one another.

 _I'm sorry, Yuiko,_ Kakashi thought. _I might be coming to see you again much sooner than you wanted._


	64. Chapter 64

Yuiko stood anxiously in front of the paper-screen door. It was the only thing she had come across while wandering the dark void of the afterlife — or wherever she was. Yuiko had been hoping she would magically appear at an area mirroring the river Kakashi spoke of, but it seemed simply being dead didn't mean she could do anything she desired.

 _Man, this really ruined my exit with Kakashi back there._

She exhaled, grabbing onto the door and opening it with gusto.

"Finally; the tea was getting cold," a familiar voice said.

The small room was modestly decorated, with delicate paper screen walls and dark hardwood floors. A short table and sitting cushions took up most of the space, along with a pile of children's playing blocks occupying a corner.

"You can close that, if you want," Noboru said nonchalantly, pouring tea from a teapot into two cups. Yuiko closed the door behind her, hesitantly moving to sit down at the table across from him. He looked younger than he was when she last saw him — probably around 15. Noboru wore a delicate, deep blue robe, matching the color of his eyes. He grinned at her, handing her a cup. When she looked down as she grasped it, she noticed she was wearing a red kimono with an intricate floral pattern stitched in purples and gold down the front. Yuiko brought the cup closer to herself, observing the reflection of her face looking back at her. She must have also reverted to being a teenager herself.

"You've got to try it. This afterworld tea is something else," Noboru said, taking a long swig. He brought his cup down, exhaling deeply. Yuiko regarded him nervously.

Noboru placed his chin in the palm of his hand, his elbow on the table. "Is it the age thing? This is how I remember you best, OK? Sorry I had to take you back to before your boobs came in."

Yuiko's eyebrow twitched. She slammed the tea on the table, the liquid jumping up slightly before landing back in the cup with a 'plop.'

"Sorry! Sorry!" Noboru laughed, waving his hand casually. "I just missed seeing that look on your face."

Yuiko glared at him. She took a sip of tea, hating to admit it actually did taste amazing. "Have you been waiting for me here?"

Noboru smiled, a tinge of sadness in his eyes. "Yeah. I kinda messed things up the last time around. I've had a lot of time to think ... It's not the same as when you're alive — time is both fast and slow here. To me it feels like I only died yesterday, even though I've been able to see the other things that happened since then. And you're not the only one who's come to visit. It's hard to explain, but it's like my feelings are projected to others who are here. Like there are these ripples in the air where we can feel each other, and find one another if we want. That's how I knew about Kakashi dying. Even though I also saw it, if that makes sense. I'm not making sense."

He laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Man, that had been a whirlwind! I was going to try to see him too, but then he just disappeared in the blink of an eye. Like I said, time is weird here. Anyway, seeing him come back to life was the craziest thing I'd seen since I've been dead — well, up until just now, when he told you he loved you. I mean, it was obvious, but I never thought he'd actually admit it."

"Stop pretending like you knew," Yuiko said flatly, taking another sip of tea.

"I knew even before he did!" Noboru said defiantly, pounding his fist on the table with a grin. "Remember the mission where you did that weird jinchūriki thing and started to make people's heads explode? Well, before that I saw the look on his face when we thought you were dead — when you were eaten up by that fireball and we both thought you were gone for sure. He loved you."

His smile faded. He swirled the tea around in his cup, looking down at it guiltily. "And I messed all that up. I was jealous. I didn't — I don't like you like that, but you were everything to me. It was going to be the two of us, making the world a better place, right? But if you two got together, and you stayed in Konoha, then I would have been alone again. But that ended up happening anyway, didn't it?"

Yuiko's throat grew tight as she dropped her gaze to the table. She never had to say much around Noboru, but the words had always come so easy. She hadn't realized how much she wished she could have that back.

The sound of light footsteps reached her ears, and she looked over to the paper wall next to the door. The steps were somewhat erratic, and came to an abrupt stop as the shadow of a small figure appeared on the other side of the paper. The shapes of two tiny hands pressed against it.

"Noboru!" the voice of a little girl whined. "I need you to roll the ball so I can kick it! Momma doesn't do it right!"

Yuiko's eyes darted back to Noboru. There was a smile on his lips, but his eyes didn't leave his cup.

"Shh, Tomiko!" a woman's voice said. A much taller shadow came into view beside the small one. It seemed to bend over, and the tiny hands on the paper disappeared as the larger figure lifted the smaller. "Your brother is meeting with a friend right now. Be polite and wait until he's done."

Tomiko made a frustrated sound. "But he's taking _forever_ …"

"Don't worry; he'll be done soon," the woman said softly. Another hand pressed against the paper, much larger than Tomiko's, but gentler. It stayed there for a moment before pulling back. Yuiko could hear the steady sound of wooden sandals echoing around them as the figures faded.

"Noboru," Yuiko said, her voice shaking, "You should —"

"It's alright," Noboru said softly. "For some reason, the two of them can't seem to come in here. But I wouldn't have been able to watch you and Kakashi if I'd left this place. It'd be nice if they could hear me through the wall, though."

Yuiko regarded him anxiously, bunching up the material of the kimono in her hands. She stood up, walking around the table to sit next to Noboru. "You don't have to stay here," she said. "It's just like you to put so much effort butting into other people's business."

Noboru grinned, still watching the tea as he swirled it around in his cup. "I've been paying attention to a lot of things going on in the living world, you know. I can only really get clear pictures if it's somebody I have a connection to. So I could see certain things about you and Kakashi — and my brother, sometimes."

He steadied his hand, watching the tea as it settled within his cup. "I can help you, I think."

"Help me with what?"

"To go back."

Yuiko stared at him. Noboru looked up, grinning at her. "A little while ago I saw something I could hardly believe. Kakashi saw it too, so you've probably already heard it from him. There was this old woman from Sunagakure who brought the Kazekage back to life after his Tailed Beast was pulled out of him. It was something amazing to everyone, obviously, but as a medical-nin I was totally floored."

Yuiko exhaled, smiling gently. "Yes, I heard all about it from Kakashi. I heard even more about it from Sakura. But a jutsu like that kills the caster. Plus, the old woman was the only one who knew how to do it. Even if there was someone down there who could use it, that's not how I would want to come back."

"But if the caster was already dead, then it wouldn't be the case, right?" he said, proudly putting his hands behind his head. "The lady who brought the Kazekage back, I invited her over for some tea after she died. She didn't mind, since she said she needed to wait around for her brother anyway. I told her all about you, and how I would want to help you someday, if it came down to it. Chiyo — that's her name — was pretty skeptical at first. But between the two of us, we figured something out that I think might work. She was a sweet lady; I was sad to see her go when that reanimation jutsu took her."

"Noboru," Yuiko said, watching him sadly. "I know you feel guilty about everything, but what you're talking about is impossible. You should know that better than I do."

"Since when did you become so cynical?" Noboru said, rising to his feet. "Come on, I need to do this before Sakura gives up. She's been working on you for almost an hour now."

He reached his hand out to her.

"Almost an hour?" Yuiko said, taking his hand. "I haven't been here for that long."

"It's actually been nearly half a day since you died, over there," Noboru said as Yuiko got to her feet. "Your fight with the masked guy got the attention of some shinobi on their way to the medical outpost. They found you there, dying, but not totally dead. You died before they got you to the outpost, but your friend Sakura hooked you up to some machines to keep your blood pumping. She's been giving it her all to siphon chakra into you. She knows a little bit about the technique Chiyo did, but not enough to actually bring you back. That's where I come in."

Yuiko studied him, doubtful. "What will happen to you?"

"Who knows?" Noboru laughed. "I don't think someone like me was destined to go to the Pure Land, anyways." He made his way to the screen door, curling his fingers around the handle. He looked over to the corner, at the pile of children's blocks scattered on the floor. "It would've been nice to see my sister again, though. She's always ripping up her kimono, and she cries a lot. You're kind of like her, although your tantrums are more subdued."

Yuiko shook her head. "Noboru, I told you. I told you I don't want that if it means someone else has to die. Or —" Yuiko fidgeted nervously. "Or whatever it is that will happen to you. I don't want this."

"I don't care," Noboru said bluntly. He turned his head to fix her with his steady gaze. "I don't care, because the only reason I didn't kill you years ago was due to a fluke. If not for that, I would have killed my best friend because I couldn't swallow my own pride. I need this, Yuiko. Don't take this from me."

Yuiko bunched the material of her kimono in her fists, her hands shaking. She walked around the table to hesitantly stand behind Noboru. Her lip quivered. Yuiko threw her arms around his back, squeezing him tightly around the waist. Noboru smiled, raising his head. "Tell Kakashi he doesn't have to feel guilty about not visiting my grave. I wasn't actually dead for most of those years, anyway. And tell him I'll haunt him for the rest of his life if he doesn't treat you right. I can be downright spooky, when I want to be."

Yuiko chuckled, pulling away to wipe her face on her sleeve. Noboru turned, extending his hand out to her. "You ready?"

Yuiko nodded, grasping it. He smiled, opening the door. Yuiko closed her eyes as they were engulfed in a blinding, white light.

—

The light faded, leaving Yuiko staring at a beige cloth ceiling. Muffled sounds surrounded her, gradually becoming clearer.

"Wait, is she really?!"

"Her eyes just opened!"

"Sakura, you did it!"

Yuiko tilted her head to the left, gazing into a pair of bright green eyes. Sakura looked down at her with eyes the size of dinner plates. She still had her hands up from when she had lifted them in surprise as Yuiko regained consciousness.

Sakura didn't know how to explain it. She had been doing everything she could to replenish Yuiko's chakra, to try to get the life force flowing through her body again. She only knew bits and pieces of the resurrection jutsu Granny Chiyo had used on Gaara, but she was hoping she had picked up enough from the notes Chiyo's brother, Ebizō, had sent her after Chiyo passed. It wasn't exactly the same, since the notes were incomplete, but she theorized that through a series of drawn-out bursts of chakra, she might be able to bring someone back to life that died of chakra deprivation.

It had been soon after Sakura passed the thirty minute mark of siphoning chakra into Yuiko's corpse that her fellow medic-nin urged her to stop. Sakura ignored them. They uttered their worries in hushed tones, but it wasn't their voices that Sakura chose to focus on. It was her own. It was her own voice telling her sensei that he didn't need to worry; that Yuiko would be alright. Even as doubt wriggled into Sakura's heart as each minute ticked by, she remained focused on her own words.

 _She'll be OK, I promise._

But something unexpected had happened just then. Sakura's entire body had been flooded with chakra, and the way it was being siphoned into Yuiko's body was like it had a mind of its own. It rushed through her, like a warm wave, draining out through her fingertips. Her whole body still tingled from the sensation.

Yuiko lifted the corners of her mouth into a smile. Sakura's lip quivered, a tear rolling down her cheek. She had the sense not to smother Yuiko, but she grasped the woman's hand, halfway crying and laughing as she leaned her head against the side of the bed.


	65. Chapter 65

"You're going?"

"Yes. And you need to stay here."

Yuiko frowned, sitting up on her cot. Sakura whipped around, wagging her finger. "You just came back from the dead!" she snapped. "You lie back down. _Now_."

Yuiko pulled her sheets up to her chin, sliding back down onto her pillow.

 _Now I get why Naruto always says she's scary._

"I'm feeling a lot better," Yuiko mumbled.

"The fact that you're feeling _anything_ means you're feeling better," Sakura quipped, snapping her medical bag closed. She lifted it onto her back, stepping over to Yuiko. "What you need is rest. The way that you can move so freely after only an hour is impressive enough; I don't think you need to push it."

Yuiko pouted stubbornly, reminding Sakura just a little too much of a certain teammate.

"We'll be just fine," Sakura smirked. "We have the Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja on our side, remember?"

Yuiko smiled, nodding slightly. "Take care of yourself, Sakura. And thank you."

"Ah, well," Sakura said, rubbing her arm sheepishly. "I'm still not exactly sure what I did back there. It may have just come down to luck more than anything."

Yuiko shook her head. "I wouldn't be here without you," she said cheerfully.

A blush touched Sakura's cheeks as she smiled. She bent over to give Yuiko's hand a final squeeze. "I made a promise earlier that I was able to keep, so hopefully I can make another. Naruto, Kakashi-Sensei, everyone … We're going to get through this, I promise. We're going to win, and everyone is going to come home."

Yuiko returned Sakura's determined expression. She gave a curt nod and Sakura released her hand. Sakura bid Yuiko a final farewell, leaving Yuiko alone in the tent. The muffled sound of voices could be heard as Sakura chatted with the medical-nin who would be taking over Yuiko's care.

Yuiko stared ahead at the tent ceiling, taking in the sensation of the rough cot beneath her and the light sheet draping over her body. It was hard to explain, but her senses seemed more, _vibrant_ , than they had been when she was dead. It was odd to think that she could even make that comparison.

Yuiko lifted her hand over her head, waving it back and forth. Her strength was returning rapidly, but her body felt oddly light — a sensation she chalked up to no longer being a jinchūriki.

Kokuō had been a part of her for as long as she could remember; even when Kokuō had been using all its energy to hold back the effects of the Blood Scroll, she could still feel the Tailed Beast there, deep down. But now Yuiko was truly the only being inhabiting her body. She was struck with a pang of loneliness, recalling the thirteen years she had to spend without having the constant company.

 _And now that man has you. And he's using you to hurt everyone._

Yuiko put her hand to her chest, bunching up the covers in a fist.

.

* * *

.

Yuiko felt a little guilty, but that didn't stop her from sneaking out of her tent around an hour after Sakura left. There were only a handful of medic-nin left in the camp by that point, and since Yuiko wasn't in critical condition, she figured she could sneak about without anyone noticing for a while. Not that it mattered, really, other than making the process of gearing up in the weapons tent less stressful than it could have been.

The jumpsuit and flak jacket she had been wearing when she died were in a pretty rough state and needed to be replaced entirely. Luckily, her scroll pouch containing a few rolls of blank sealing paper and a lightning jutsu Kakashi had given her weeks ago were still intact. The armor, exploding tags, and other gear were easy to find, but sealing paper was a rarity, and her suspicions were correct when Yuiko couldn't locate any extra in the tent. The last thing she pocketed was the small clock Kakashi had given her, giving her pocket a reassuring pat before phasing through the tent and into the night.

Finding her way to the battlefield was a matter as simple as following the trail of the couple dozen shinobi who headed out from the outpost alongside Sakura. There wasn't anything particularity exceptional about the trip, up until she reached the battleground. Yuiko stopped at the edge of a massive crater, pausing to catch her breath as she took in the scene below.

 _What is going on? What is that thing?_

Yuiko had been able to see the flower from a few miles out, towering above the landscape as its colossal, pink bud reached into the night sky. She was astounded to see that within the crater, the flower stalk was connected to a tangle of branches that stretched nearly a mile in diameter around it. The branches themselves were immense, forming a thick cover blocking her line of sight from any combat other than what was directly below. But even though she couldn't see it, she still felt the radiating chakra of the 10-Tails. It was all around her, and her heart panged when she recognized the trace amount that reminded her of Kokuō.

The scene below, however, was confusing. There were multitudes of shinobi, from all different nations, engulfed in glowing red chakra. It looked similar to a Tailed Beast cloak — but why everyone would have it was beyond her. A few of the shinobi were engaged in combat, but most of them stood or sat idle, out of injury or exhaustion. What they were fighting appeared to be a giant, wooden statue in the shape of a robed man with his hands clasped in prayer. The statue was several stories tall; Yuiko could make out most of its features even from a distance. A large disc protruded from the statue's back, giving it the appearance of having a halo encompassing its upper body. The disk was lined with dozens of wooden hands, some of which had sprouted arms and were working to crush the assaulting shinobi on the ground below. It was hard to make out, but a cloaked figure seemed to be standing atop the statue's head. Yuiko leapt down the side of the crater, rushing in to get a better look.

As she approached, the statue leaned forward, almost as if it was getting a closer look at its assailants below. Suddenly, streams of chakra exploded from its forehead, enveloping the shinobi near it in a torrent of fire, earth, water, lightning, and wind chakra. Yuiko grit her teeth at the sound of their screams, hoping whatever chakra was flowing around their bodies was enough to protect them. As she got closer, she saw that for many of them, it wasn't the case. Medic-nin darted between the bodies, attempting to aid those who had survived the onslaught. Yuiko could understand now why so many of the shinobi she had passed by before were staying out of the fight. This thing — whatever it was — had a terrifying amount of power.

She joined the group of shinobi who stood closest to the statue, staring up at it slack-jawed as it turned, setting its sight on them. Yuiko could see now that the statue had a headband carved on it, depicting a series of five faces. She deduced that it was from these faces the elemental chakra was let loose. The smaller faces shifted, their mouths opening with a 'clunk.'

"Retreat!" someone yelled. Everyone dispersed in a flash. The statue's head snapped about, setting its sight on an unsuspecting group of medic-nin on its other side. Five bright streams of chakra shot out from the statue. A few of the medic-nin flickered away, but most of them tried feebly to carry the wounded out of danger.

 _They can't make it!_ Yuiko thought in anguish as she watched the streams barrel toward the group. She started to run, but she already knew she was too far.

Suddenly, five figures appeared before the group, standing to face the chakra streams.

"Release!"

The five individuals released streams of chakra at the statue, matching the elements of the ones coming at the group. The streams met, exploding mid-air as they cancelled each other out. A wave of relief fell about the group of medic-nins, a few shinobi dropping to their knees in shock.

"Those of you unable to fight, fall back!" one of the five figures said in a gruff voice. The other four shinobi who had come to their rescue disappeared in a poof of smoke.

 _Those were all just clones?_ Yuiko thought as she slowed her approach. _Amazing!_

The shinobi around her scrambled to fall back, rightfully knowing that this statue was beyond what many of them could handle.

 _I probably should get out of here, too_. _I need to find the others and help them however I can. But this thing … something about it is nagging at me._

Yuiko stepped forward until she was standing next to the man facing the statue.

"What is this thing?" she asked, raising her eyes up. The statue's attention had been caught by another group of shinobi to its right, who had taken the opportunity to strike while it was focused on its last attack. It didn't appear to be going well, however, as a number of shinobi were crushed liked insects under the hands shooting forward from the statue's back.

"Of that, I'm not sure," the old man said, concerned. He glanced over, looking up at Yuiko. "So, you're alive after all. I was worried you had been killed, seeing as that man Obito was able to bring back the 10-Tails."

Yuiko knew she had heard the name Obito before, but she found that she was unable to dwell on the fact as she stared in awe at the third Hokage. The former Hokage grinned, crow's feet lining his eyes. They were shades of black and grey — a clear marker for the reanimation jutsu.

"Kabuto brought you back, too?" Yuiko asked.

"Not Kabuto," the old man replied. "I was brought back along with the other Hokage to aid in the fight against Madara. It was … in a rather unexpected way that I don't understand much of, myself."

"The other Hokage?" Yuiko asked quietly. A knowing smile fell across Hiruzen's face.

"My successor will be glad to see you, if you get the chance," he said.

Yuiko dropped her gaze. Hiruzen watched her steadily.

"I never believed that you killed that boy," he said. Yuiko looked at him in surprise. "You should have come back," he continued. "You made a mistake, not having faith in your home. But perhaps it was my fault. I did not check up on you as often as I should have after Minato and Kushina's passing. The deaths of the people who most accepted you as a member of the village may have caused you to feel that you no longer belonged. I apologize for my negligence."

Yuiko's mouth flapped noiselessly a few times before she started to stutter in protest. The third Hokage held up a hand to silence her.

"I apologize," he said. "I have found myself in the unforeseen predicament of being able to say things that would have normally gone unsaid. The two of us may have some time later to catch up, perhaps. But right now I could use your aid, if you're able. I seem to be the only one here with enough chakra left to counter this enemy. However, things are progressing slowly since I'm trying to concentrate equally on finding a weak spot and saving as many of the lives around me as I can. But if you can use your phasing jutsu to keep the others safe, I can move in and kill the man controlling the statue."

Yuiko regarded him for a moment before following his gaze upward. Her expression grew dark as she stared at the statue.

"No."

Lord Third furrowed his brow, turning to regard his companion. Yuiko's eyes narrowed as she continued to look upward. "I think," she said slowly, "I know who that man is."


	66. Chapter 66

A/N: I found out that officially, the spiral-faced Zetsu's name is Tobi, so that's what I will be referring to him as in this chapter. I just wanted to point this out to avoid any confusion since Obito also went by this name as an alias for some time. Thanks!

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* * *

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"By the way, isn't there anyone who can give me a serious answer to my question?"

The spiral-faced zetsu waved his arm, and a flurry of wooden hands shot to the earth from the golem's back. He stood atop the statue's head casually, the black cloak he had wrapped about himself waving in the wind. The statue's wooden hands were met with the screams of its victims as they were crushed.

"I asked you," Tobi continued, unperturbed by the chaos below, "what does it feel like to poo?!"

He cocked his head as he spotted something below. A figure had jumped upon one of the statue's arms lodged in the dirt. The woman ran up the arm toward him, a large black shuriken slung on her back.

"Oh, have you come to answer my question?" the zetsu asked playfully. A multitude of arms shot out from the statue's back toward the woman. The first arm hit, the woman vanishing from sight.

"Oh dear, I guess not," Tobi quipped. He turned to focus on the ground forces, but he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. The purple-haired woman phased through the hand, continuing up the arm. More of the wooden hands crashed down upon her, but she phased through without delay.

"So it's you!" Tobi exclaimed, almost in delight. "I hate to be the one to tell you, but a jinchūriki dies after the Tailed Beast is removed. That is an absolute! We can't have you changing the rules!"

The mouths of the miniature heads lining the statue's forehead snapped open. Elemental chakra gushed from each one, barreling toward Yuiko.

 _I hope I have the skill to pull off Lord Third's idea,_ she thought, yanking a scroll from her pouch.

Yuiko unraveled it, the paper streaming out like a banner before her. Blue lights sparkled over the paper as the five circular texts of the sealing jutsu took shape. The five elemental waves of chakra towered over her, Yuiko's skin burning from the heat. The attack reached the paper and Yuiko poured chakra into the scroll to keep it from breaking under the force. She squinted against the blinding light, her heart pounding in her chest as she struggled to contain the flood of chakra. The edges of the paper started to curl, Yuiko utilizing all of her concentration to fine-tune the amount of chakra she needed to contain the streams. The light from the attack blinded her of everything else, and all she could hear was the roaring sound of the chakra being sucked into the paper. Suddenly, silence fell as the last of the elemental jutsu were absorbed. Relieved, Yuiko rolled the scroll up, placing it firmly into her pouch as she continued up the arm of the statue. She leapt from arm to arm, working to get herself level with the statue's face.

"Oh, what fun!" Tobi chimed, clapping his hands together. "Let's do that again! But you look really tired now; I hope you can still put on a show!"

The heads opened their mouths again, preparing another wave of chakra. Yuiko froze, watching them intently.

"Ah, here it comes! I love the suspense!" the zetsu squealed. The attack was done charging, and the chakra swirled as the small heads prepared to fire. The wooden heads released their attack, the chakra elements shooting toward Yuiko. She disappeared from sight as the beams convened on her location.

Tobi stared at the spot excitedly as the beams ceased. The blast had blown through a couple of the statue's arms, but it wasn't like there weren't any to spare. Yuiko was nowhere to be seen.

"That's what you get for breaking the rules!" Tobi said with a pleased nod. He was in the process of moving his attention back to the ground below when something moved out of the corner of his eye. He turned around to see a figure phase up from the wood atop the statue's head. Yuiko straightened up, clasping the large shuriken on her back.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Tobi whined. Yuiko pulled her arm back, flinging the shuriken to the side. Tobi turned his head to watch the shuriken fly, observing that its course was curving back around toward them. He brought his attention back to Yuiko as she started to run in his direction.

 _I see. She's going to try to grapple me, then phase through the shuriken as it rips me to shreds. I'll just manipulate my body, unwrapping myself from the wood-user so he takes most of the blow. I'll put on a performance to make it seem like she got me, then strike while her guard is down._

Tobi stood his ground as Yuiko came toward him. Like he thought, Yuiko was behind him in a flash, pinning his arms behind his back. The zetsu pretended to struggle as the shuriken got closer. The robe he was wearing blocked Yuiko's sight of his torso, and Tobi started to peel back the part of his body covering his host as the shuriken ripped through the robe.

Suddenly, there was a cloud of smoke, and instead of the expected ripping sound and spray of blood, Tobi felt an odd tingling sensation. As the smoke cleared, the zetsu watched in disbelief as another version of Yuiko phased through him, taking the wood-style user with her. She held the wood-style user close, the two of them tumbling across the top of the statue before skidding to a stop. Tobi looked behind him in confusion, just in time to see the Yuiko holding his arms smirk before releasing a torrent of flames from their mouth. Tobi screamed, struggling to pull away as his body crackled and curled from the heat.

The arms holding Tobi drew away, and the creature feebly started to crawl toward the other end of the statue.

"Yuiko, now!" a gruff voice said.

His coating cracking and falling away, the zetsu turned to see the Yuiko that had been holding him transform into an old man wearing black armor.

 _What? When ..?_

A thought struck Tobi as he watched the old man scoop up the wood-style user as the real Yuiko pulled a scroll out of her side pouch.

 _That second blast ... that's why she did nothing against the chakra streams. They used it as a cover to switch. They made sure I knew about her ability to move through things, and assumed I would counter her ability._

Tobi's thoughts came to an abrupt halt as he watched Yuiko's scroll unravel, revealing five sealing symbols. The characters for "fire", "earth", "water", "lightning", and "air" were inked into their centers.

Tobi panicked. He raised his arms in desperation, the statue beneath him following his lead. All of the statue's arms reached into the air, surrounding its head like a cage. The zetsu threw his arms down, the multitude of hands coming down on top of them.

"Release!" Yuiko shouted. The symbols on the scroll glowed, and then released a torrent of elemental chakra upon Tobi. He was absorbed in the blast, along with most of the hands and half of the statue's head. The statue jerked violently to the side as it lost the connection with the one controlling it. The arms upon its back fell limp, collapsing to the dirt.

The third Hokage rushed forward, grabbing Yuiko around the waist as he leapt from the statue. The statue fell forward, hitting the ground with a deafening crash. Debris flew through the air in the form of wooden shards and chunks of rock.

Hiruzen landed gracefully on the ground, his comrades still under his arms as he fled the destruction. He came to a stop a few yards away as the last of the debris fell back to earth. He released Yuiko, and then used his free hand to cradle Yamato's head as he gingerly placed him down. Yuiko moved next to the third Hokage, feeling a little undignified for being carried as if she were a child, but decided that now wasn't the time to press the matter.

She let out a relieved sigh as she looked down at Yamato. He was still unconscious, but was certainly alive. Yuiko crouched next to him, affectionately flicking her finger onto his metal visor to elicit a dull 'ding.'

"This better be the last time I have to rescue you, boss," she smiled. "I don't think I have enough lives left for another go."

The third Hokage cleared his throat, catching her attention. "We need to make sure that thing is dead," he said sternly.

Yuiko nodded, glancing at Yamato once more before straightening up. Other shinobi were starting to move in now to assess the situation, and Hiruzen caught the eye of a medic-nin. He flashed the hand signals for 'medical assistance' and the man picked up the pace in their direction.

Lord Third turned to meet Yuiko's gaze, the woman giving him a curt nod. The two of them were gone in a flash as they ran back toward the statue.

—

The pair picked their way through the debris, attempting to find any sign of the spiral-faced zetsu. Yuiko turned over rubble and chunks of wood, and was doubtful that they could distinguish anything in the mess when she heard a shout from the third Hokage. She rushed to him, seeing he was crouched down next to a mound of splinters. Upon closer inspection, she could see the mound was actually the zetsu, his head hardly recognizable among the burnt bits of his body.

"Tell me ... tell me ..." Tobi croaked, his voice faint. "What does it feel like to poo?"

The third Hokage sighed, pushing on his knees as he stood.

"I trust you can finish this up," he said, crossing his arms.

Yuiko knelt by the zetsu and pulled a tag from her pouch. She phased her hand through his head, placing the exploding tag within.

"Tell me …" Tobi said feebly. "I just want to know … what it feels like …"

"Sorry, I can't help you," Yuiko said. "Girls don't poop."

The zetsu let out a confused groan as Yuiko stood, taking a few steps back.

"Release," she said flatly.

The tag exploded, taking Tobi's head along with it.


	67. Chapter 67

"Are you certain you don't want the medical unit to take a look at you?" the third Hokage asked.

"Mmm," Yuiko nodded, popping a food pill into her mouth. "I need to move forward to see if I can help Naruto." She fought the urge to gag as she chewed the foul-tasting pill. Yuiko rarely had the need for food pills, but her chakra level was suffering from that elemental seal. She'd be able to recover on her own in an hour or two, but at the moment she didn't have the luxury to wait.

A smile touched Hiruzen's lips as he regarded Yuiko's poor attempt at hiding her disgust.

 _I'm glad you found your way home again, Yuiko._

"I'll catch up with you shortly, then," he said. "Taking that thing down has made it so we can advance inward. Stopping Madara and Obito is the prime objective. I need to meet up with the other Kage and devise a strategy, they shouldn't be too far."

Yuiko nodded as the third Hokage dashed away. She turned toward the tree and began running over the rocky terrain. She hadn't gone very far before a figure walked out from behind a boulder. It was another zetsu, although this one resembled the ones that was present at her death — with yellow eyes and light green hair. Yuiko came to a quick stop.

"I hope you know you're making a mess of things," the zetsu said in a high-pitched voice. "That statue was supposed to keep the forces occupied for much longer. We can't have any interruptions before Lord Madara is brought back to life."

 _Brought back to life?_ Yuiko thought. _Was the man in the mask a reanimation this whole time?_

Next to the zetsu, a pool of inky black liquid seeped up from the ground. It climbed up his legs, wrapping itself around the right side of his body.

"I'm glad you were close enough to hear my call," the zetsu said in a sing-song tone.

The darkness solidified itself, a pupiless white eye opening in place of the white zetsu's yellow one. The zetsu appeared to be split evenly in two, one side the pasty white Yuiko had seen before, the other side engulfed entirely in black.

"Obito is still fighting the Nine-Tails," Black Zetsu said, its voice significantly deeper than its companion's. "It would be unwise to let her pass by and aid the enemy. It's unfortunate, though, that you are too weak to handle this on your own."

"My apologies," the zetsu said, seemingly unfazed by the remark. "I'll try to end this quickly for your sake."

The figure moved toward her with amazing speed, giving Yuiko barely enough time to activate her phasing jutsu as they slashed at her throat. Zetsu continued its onslaught, moving so quickly Yuiko didn't have time to do anything but defend.

 _They're serious about ending this soon. They'll tear a chunk out of me if I let my guard down for even a second._

Roots erupted from the ground, forming spikes in an attempt to impale her. Yuiko leapt back, phasing through the roots as Zetsu disappeared. It appeared below her, Black Zetsu's hand forming a razor-like shape as it slashed upwards.

 _They're trying to overwhelm me now. They're hoping I can't keep up with the roots and their attacks simultaneously._

They were right, in a way; she would only be able to keep up with an unwavering assault for so long before her chakra ran out. The food pill would give her a second wind, but her body hadn't digested it just yet. She needed a way out, but couldn't find room to go on the offensive.

 _I need to gain some distance. Maybe if I —_

Yuiko's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar sensation.

 _Kokuō?!_

She could feel Kokuō's chakra. It was faint, but Yuiko would recognize it anywhere. She blinked, panicking at letting her guard down. Luckily for her, Zetsu also seemed to have become distracted at the sudden appearance of Tailed Beast chakra.

"The beasts have been pulled out," Black Zetsu said. "I don't have time for this. Kill her on your own."

 _Been pulled out?_ Yuiko thought. _So he beat him — he beat the 10-Tails! You're amazing, Naruto!_

Black Zetsu pulled itself from the white zetsu, sliding into the ground like a slick of oil. Yuiko ran forward, watching as it disappeared underground.

 _I can't let it go after him!_

The white zetsu stepped into her path, rushing toward her. Yuiko prepared to phase through it, but was saved the trouble when its head flew back from the blow of a large staff.

"Stop that thing!" the third Hokage yelled from behind her. "Don't worry; I'll keep this one occupied!"

Yuiko grinned.

 _I've never done this before, but it looks like I don't have a choice._

Black Zetsu's chakra was faint, but she was still able to sense it underground. It moved rapidly — almost faster than Yuiko could keep up with. Yuiko leapt forward, phasing through the ground to block Black Zetsu's path. She was completely blind underground, but could sense its presence as it approached. She swung her leg, solidifying her skin at the point of contact. She felt it connect, and then rushed forward, using the same trick to punch Black Zetsu through the rock and into the air. She phased up through the ground, satisfied she had surprised it enough for her plan to work. If Black Zetsu had been expecting to meet any resistance, it could have easily avoided her assault, considering how fast it was moving.

 _Good, one left,_ she thought, pulling a scroll from her pouch as she watched Black Zetsu attempting to take on a humanoid form as it flew through the air.

She snapped the scroll open, placing her palm on its center.

"Chidori!"

The air was filled with a piercing screech as Yuiko shoved the ball of lighting up into Black Zetsu. It tore a large hole through its torso, Black Zetsu falling to the ground with a grunt. Yuiko clasped her hands, glowing green chains bursting from the ground to ensnare her opponent.

 _I'm not sure how long I can hold him, but at least this will give Lord Third a chance to catch up._

Black Zetsu snarled in frustration, its body attempting to engulf the chains. Yuiko gritted her teeth as she struggled to keep the jutsu active.

 _It's like he's breaking them apart from the inside. I might not be able to hold him for very long. He's strong … I don't know if I actually hurt him at all with the chidori._

Black Zetsu suddenly stopped struggling, its attention fixated on a green streak of light zipping across the sky.

 _A shooting star?_ Yuiko thought, using the distraction to try to regain control of the chains.

Another streak shot across the sky, then another. Soon almost the entirety of the night's sky was full of green flashes of light.

While Yuiko wondered what was happening, Black Zetsu thought quickly. It knew what this was — what had happened. It knew it needed to reevaluate its plan, and fast. It would be no good to keep Mother waiting.

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* * *

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"Take your time coming after me, Kakashi."

Kakashi bowed his head, squeezing his eyes shut.

'… _you better make me wait for a long time, if you don't want me to be upset.'_

There were far too many people who had told Kakashi that today. He opened his eyes as a hand landed on his shoulder. He turned his head to regard his Sensei who had knelt next to him. Minato smiled warmly, although the expression was somewhat eerie from the sclera of his eyes being an inky black instead of white due to the reanimation jutsu.

"I know it's hard, Kakashi," Minato said gently. "But what Obito just did … he returned to us, in the end."

Kakashi nodded, looking down at Obito's corpse. Obito had conceded that Kakashi won their fight from earlier, but it mattered little when he left Kakashi for dead in the empty void. Kakashi had nearly resigned himself to it, waiting to bleed out when something unexpected happened. He was able to see flashes of images through Obito's eye; the pair of sharingan somehow resonating with one another. He witnessed pieces of Obito's fight against Naruto and Sasuke, and watched in amazement as the Tailed Beasts were pulled from Obito's body.

 _Naruto … Sasuke … Everyone is …_

Kakashi was able to find his resolve, wearily pushing himself up into a crouch. He focused all his energy on the connection between the two sharingan and activated his kamui, directing the vortex onto himself. He honestly had no idea if it would work to bring him back, but at this point he didn't have much more to lose.

Amazingly, he was successful. In the blink of an eye, Kakashi found himself back at the battlefield, looming over a weakened Obito.

 _Save him, Kakashi._

Kakashi had pulled out a kunai, plunging it toward Obito's heart. He was stopped at the last moment by Minato, who informed him that there was no need. Naruto had been able to break through to the man's true feelings, and Obito had returned to his former self. If it had been anyone else other than Naruto, Kakashi wouldn't have believed it.

"Madara is the only enemy left now," Minato had said gently, releasing his grip on Kakashi's wrist. "Naruto and Sasuke will aid Lord First in helping to seal him. Our responsibility right now is with my student, and your friend."

Kakashi looked down warily at Obito, unsure of what to say. Surprisingly, it was Obito who broke the silence. He spoke of Rin, and how his entire view of the world had changed after losing her. The words resonated with Kakashi in an unexpected way. His view of the world was nowhere near as bleak as Obito's had been, but everything he experienced since Yuiko's death had just seemed … dulled. Like a thin shroud had been draped over the sights, sounds, and smells of the world around him. Kakashi knew that logically he should be worried that it would be like this forever, and yet he couldn't muster up the strength to care. Perhaps that apathy had been a part of what drove Obito to madness: simply being unable to care about a world that didn't harbor the one he loved.

Kakashi found it almost comical how similar the two of them were, even now. Both of them had lost the one they loved by the hand of the other, and now all that they had left was clinging to what little hope remained.

 _I would turn out just like you, I think, if it wasn't for Naruto and the others,_ Kakashi thought.

If there was anything that Kakashi could latch onto now, it was his belief in Naruto. Naruto would never give up on this world, and this meant that neither should he. He told Obito as much, and was about to make his leave when Obito surprised him yet again as he mustered up the strength for a final jutsu. It was the Rinne Rebirth technique; a jutsu that would bring all who had fallen on the battlefield back to life, at the cost of Obito's own.

Despite everything, the finality of Obito dying struck deep. Kakashi reminded him that there were other ways that Obito could atone for his sins, but his friend was having none of it.

"That would be the easy way out," Obito had whispered. "I need this."

He smiled, closing his eyes. "Take your time coming after me, Kakashi."

And so Kakashi and Minato had stood by and watched as Obito used the last of his strength to summon a large, humanoid creature with eyes sharing the pattern of the rinnegan. The creature's mouth opened grotesquely, rays of green light shooting into the air. The lights hovered above them for a moment, before streaking across the night sky like falling stars.


	68. Chapter 68

"Betrayed, once again," Black Zetsu stated, looking up to the sky. Yuiko regarded its behavior suspiciously, wondering if the creature was trying to trick her into letting down her defenses.

"First Nagato," Black Zetsu continued, "now Obito. It seems the Rinne Rebirth can never be used for its intended purpose."

Black Zetsu lowered its head, regarding Yuiko. A chill ran up her spine. The creature's face was featureless save for its pure-white eyes. Its chakra signature was almost unbearably uncomfortable — a feature it seemed to be able to intensify as it put its full attention on her.

"I don't have a lot of time, you see," it said flatly. "You're not my first choice, so don't feel flattered."

Yuiko frowned, confused. A shadow suddenly engulfed one of the chains, followed by another. The chains turned black, one by one, until they shattered.

Yuiko pushed down a wave of alarm, amazed at how easily Black Zetsu broke free.

Black Zetsu oozed underground, and Yuiko looked about to try to judge where it was making its escape. She sensed it underneath her, activating her phasing jutsu as Black Zetsu shot up around her feet. The air escaped Yuiko's lungs as her entire body felt as if it had been plunged into ice-cold water.

" _Your ability doesn't work like Obito's,"_ she heard Black Zetsu say. But its voice seemed to be coming from _within_ her.

" _You're still here, synced with my own flow of chakra. But I can change that."_

Yuiko cried out, her phasing jutsu deactivating as Black Zetsu's chakra wavered. She fell to her knees in the dirt.

" _All I need is to cover your chakra with my own …"_

The black mass spread about her body, encasing it. She tried to scream, but only black goo dribbled out when she opened her mouth. It spread over her eyes, blinding her. Yuiko was overcome with the sudden urge to stand. The command terrified her; her body wanted to move, but not of her own accord. She fought it, remaining firmly on her hands and knees.

" _Oh, this is better than I thought,"_ Black Zetsu said, its voice surrounding her. _"You have more up your sleeve than the phasing technique. I can use that fūinjutsu of yours."_

"Get out!" Yuiko screamed within her mind. "Stop looking through my head!"

" _So much fire!"_ Black Zetsu said, amused. _"But you know what they say about playing with fire …"_

Yuiko opened her eyes, finding herself within the forested mindscape where she used to visit Kokuō. The flowers and trees swayed gently in the wind beneath the night sky. The wind picked up, blowing a hot breeze through the trees from behind. Yuiko turned to see a blaze of fire rushing toward her, consuming everything in its path.

"Release!" she shouted, trying to undo the genjutsu. Her voice echoed in the air, making her command sound more and more feeble as it faded away.

The image remained, and she screamed as the flames engulfed her, her flesh feeling as if it was dripping from her bones. But in an instant, the sensation was gone. Yuiko opened her eyes, regarding the blackened and burnt forest. It looked completely alien from the way it had been before.

" _Lonely, isn't it?"_ Black Zetsu's voice rang out from around her.

"Get out!" Yuiko shouted again.

" _It must be so lonely here without Kokuō,"_ Black Zetsu continued. _"So empty. You're all alone again."_

Yuiko's chest grew tight. She took a few deep breaths, pressing the feeling down.

"I'm not!"she shouted, pounding her fist against her chest."I'm not alone!"

" _Can you be so sure?"_ Black Zetsu said. _"I think you've always been alone."_

Yuiko closed her eyes, pushing back against the darkness trying to suffocate her. She saw Naruto's face as they sat together at Jiraiya's grave marker. He gave her a wan smile — the face of someone fighting exhaustion, but who wasn't ready to give in just yet.

" _You look out for me. And I look out for you. That's how it works."_

The memory grew clouded, Yuiko scrambling to latch on.

 _Where were we again? Did someone die? Naruto, was he talking to me? No, it must have been someone else._

" _It's obvious he doesn't care for you,"_ Black Zetsu said, its voice gentler than before. _"Why would he? You abandoned him. Left him to grow up all alone, hated by the people around him. It was all your fault."_

"No,"Yuiko croaked, clutching her hair in fistfuls."No, he doesn't feel that way …"

She recalled the two of them sitting together in her small cabin, thirteen years after she had last seen him.

" _Kakashi-Sensei taught me a lot,"_ Naruto said, grinning ear-to-ear. _"I was pretty pig-headed at first, but I've done a lot of awesome things since then! I'm still a genin, but I know I'm going to make chūnin next time around! I mean, I'm going to be Hokage someday, so I kind of have to …"_

The look on his face as he said those words … Yuiko loved to remember that day. It was the day she was finally able to see he was doing alright. She had worried about him for so long, and she was finally able to see he wasn't alone.

Naruto's face twisted from a smile into a look of contempt. He frowned at her from across the table.

" _Where were you?"_ he said, his voice wavering into a pitch much deeper than normal. _"My parents wanted you to look after me, and you left. How could I forgive you for that?"_

 _That's not how it went, I know it. But now I can't remember. Why did this memory make me so happy?_

Yuiko blinked and found that she was standing outside the academy. Children poured out of the building in droves as they laughed and chatted among themselves. Many of them were holding headbands, brandishing them for their friends and family to admire. As the last of the children trickled out, Yuiko recognized a familiar shade of orange. Naruto walked out the main doors and looked up at the smiling faces of the people around him. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and stepped around the group of people near the door. The frown on his face indicated a more somber mood than the other children. He hung his head as he shuffled between the chatting families. Naruto paid little mind to his surroundings; apologizing absentmindedly as he squeezed between clusters of adults praising their children.

"It's not like today's _that_ big of a deal," he mumbled to himself.

"Naruto!"

Naruto raised his head. His eyes lit up as a smile broke across his face. He ran through the courtyard, apologies forgotten as he nimbly ducked and wriggled through the crowd. He ran into Yuiko's open arms. Well, the Yuiko that was waiting for him, not the one observing the situation in utter confusion.

"I thought you were on a mission!" Naruto shouted with glee as he hugged Yuiko tightly. Yuiko lifted him up, spinning him around before planting him firmly back on the ground.

"You think I would miss your graduation?" she laughed, releasing him from her grip. Naruto beamed as he pulled the immaculate new headband from his pocket.

"I was gonna wait to put it on until I could show you!" he said, holding it up for her to admire. Yuiko 'oohed' and 'awed' appropriately as he tilted the forehead protector to-and-fro. Naruto brought the headband on his forehead, tying it with a flourish. After he was finished, he put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest. His smug expression deflated as Yuiko ruffled his hair. "Hey, come on! Stop! My friends are here!"

Yuiko laughed. "Sorry, I couldn't help it." She smiled down at him as her eyes grew dewy.

"Hey! Hey!" Naruto said, getting flustered. "OK, you can mess with my hair if you want! Just don't cry!"

Yuiko hastily wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Sorry, Naruto. I'm just so proud of you. Your parents would be really happy."

Naruto grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "You think so, huh?"

"I know so," she said, circling behind Naruto. The hastily-tied headband was coming loose, and she quickly re-tied it to keep it in place. Yuiko put a hand on Naruto's shoulder as she led him outside the courtyard. "I'm going to take you anywhere you want for dinner," she smiled. "We can even —"

"Ooh! Let's do Ichiraku Ramen!"

"I was about to say that I can take you somewhere nicer, if you want."

"Nope, I want Ichiraku!"

"Naruto, we were there just three days ago."

"You said anywhere I want!" Naruto shouted, his figure shrinking as the pair walked away.

" _How nice things could have been for that poor child,"_ a deep voice said. Yuiko stood frozen, watching the scene in confusion.

"This …" she said, her voice shaking. "This isn't real."

" _It could have been,"_ Black Zetsu said. _"When you left the village, you cursed Naruto with the very thing you were trying to run from. You cursed him to be alone."_

A pool of black ink formed around Yuiko's feet. Her eyes darted about, her attention elsewhere.

" _You ran."_

"No!" Yuiko shouted. The scene around Yuiko dissolved into coils of grey smoke.

" _You ran from him. And you ran from Noboru. You didn't even try."_

"I … I didn't …"

" _Noboru was changing; you could see it. But you ignored it. You wanted things to go back to the way they had been. You thought he would magically change his mind one day and decide to take you home. You wanted him to be the same boy you believed him to be, even if it wasn't true."_

Yuiko whimpered, covering her eyes.

" _Did you even do anything to stop it, when his ideals became more and more radical? When you discovered that his idea of 'making trouble' for Konoha was killing their shinobi? It was easier to run away; it looks like your fear of facing him was greater than your fear of being alone. I wonder … would he be alive today if you weren't such a coward?"_

She watched Noboru smile wistfully before his image was engulfed in a blinding, white light. Yuiko lunged for him, but he was gone.

" _Who else died because of you?"_ Black Zetsu mocked. Yuiko turned around, looking up at the man standing behind her. The Sannin smirked, crossing his arms.

" _I made a promise to keep you safe,"_ Jiraiya said. _"I broke it when I let you go the night Minato died, knowing full well that you would sacrifice yourself if given the chance. It's not the first promise I've broken, and I know it won't be the last, but it was the last thing Minato and Kushina asked me to do for them before they died. And if this plan works, I can help to stop the Akatsuki going after the jinchūriki once and for all. So, if it comes down to me risking my neck or you risking yours, I'm going to pick my own."_

Yuiko reached out to Jiraiya. His image dissolved into smoke against her fingers. "No!"she cried."Please … I need to remember!"

As the smoke faded, Jiraiya's words grew jumbled, until she could no longer recall what he had said. In fact, she couldn't remember if she ever even saw him again after the night Minato died.

" _How could he have said anything kind to you if he wasn't able to stand you? His student — the man he viewed as a son — died because of you,"_ Black Zetsu said, its rough voice barely a whisper.

Yuiko was sinking into the pool of ink, the liquid sticking against her calves.

" _They died, and you could have stopped it. You could have saved them. Think of how much happier everyone would be if you had died that day."_

Yuiko saw a vision of a gravestone against a white background. A family walked past it, the parents holding their child's hands as he walked between them. Minato and Kushina looked happily down at their son, and Naruto beamed broadly up at them. Jiraiya walked up behind them, clapping Minato on the shoulder as he caught up. Yuiko could see they were laughing, although she could hear no sound. A figure walked past from behind her, approaching the gravestone as the group faded from her sight. Kakashi knelt before it, placing a white lily across its surface.

" _I love you, Yuiko."_

"I won't let you!" Yuiko screamed, the vision fading. "I won't let you take that from me!"

Laughter filled her ears. It was Black Zetsu, but its voice was different, more feminine. _"I don't need to take that from you,"_ it said. _"Why would I? It wasn't even true!"_

"That's a lie," Yuiko yelled into the darkness. "I know that's a lie!"

" _Are you sure?"_ Black Zetsu countered, its voice sounding more like her own. _"You were dying when he told you that. It would have been easy for him to just tell you what you wanted to hear. He took pity on you."_

"No," Yuiko said, doubt digging into her."He said he loved me, that he had loved me for a long time …"

" _Just like those cheesy romance novels you love so much, hmm?"_ Black Zetsu said. Or was it her own voice that said it?

" _He knew what you would want to hear to ease your passing. No more."_

"But … he …"

" _Maybe you didn't know me as well as you thought,"_ Kakashi's voice echoed.

Yuiko could recall his face perfectly, the day they stood on the bridge and she told him that she loved him. How he looked at her with such pity.

" _He saw some of himself in me,"_ Yuiko said, staring at her reflection in the black ink. Her voice echoed, as if two of her were speaking in tandem. The ink lapped up against her thighs as she continued to sink.

"A remnant of his loneliness. It made him feel better, being charitable toward me."

" _I love you, Yuiko."_

The words were there, but the tone was different than she remembered. Kakashi's voice was flat, as if he was reciting a line from a script he wasn't very interested in.

Yuiko screamed into the darkness. There was no answer. "Not again, please!" she yelled. "Not again. I don't want to be …" Yuiko dipped her head, digging her nails into her scalp. _"_ I really am … alone _,"_ she whimpered.

" _You don't have to be,"_ her voice echoed from the dark pool below her.

The ink climbed up her arms, forming webs about her torso as it dragged her down.

"I'll be the 10-Tails jinchūriki," Yuiko whispered. "Kokuō will be there, and won't leave me again. I'll never be alone. The two of us … will be home."

A jet of black liquid shot up from the pool, sticking to her right eye. She screamed as the liquid pulled against her, tearing the eye from its socket.


	69. Chapter 69

Naruto watched as a series of red archways fell from the sky, pinning Madara Uchiha — the real one — to the ground. The reincarnation of Hashirama had been able to use his sealing jutsu to finally get Madara under control. He had required some assistance from Naruto to weaken Madara to that point, but the boy found himself humbled that he could be of assistance at all to the first Hokage. Madara may not have possessed the sheer power Obito had, but his cunning and ruthless attitude made him an opponent Naruto was glad he wouldn't have to face on his own.

Madara was crouched on the ground, the black and purple eyes of the rinnegan peering out from behind the long, black hair that fell partially over his face. He appeared worn; the skin at the corner of his face had chipped off, revealing ash underneath. Like Hashirama, his presence in this world was due to the reanimation jutsu. Normally, the reanimation's bodies would begin to patch themselves up quickly, but it looked like the sealing jutsu was keeping Madara's body in its current state.

However, Madara didn't go down without dealing any damage himself. Hashirama wasn't in much better condition, since Madara had stuck a number of black receivers into his back. The black receivers were a specialty jutsu of rinnegan users, which could block the chakra points of the reanimations and keep their bodies from repairing. Hashirama had been able to muster enough chakra to seal Madara, but the act left him unable to do anything further.

"I have enough chakra left to hold him here for a short time," Hashirama said, the firmness in the first Hokage's voice a stark contrast to his outer appearance. "You will need to seal him quickly."

Naruto nodded, turning to regard his companion beside him. Sai had joined Naruto after the fight with Obito for this very purpose. He was grateful for it, although it was clear from the bags forming under his friend's eyes that Sai was dangerously close to reaching his limit despite the extra chakra from Naruto.

The battle with Obito had been a combined effort, and most of Naruto's companions who had aided him found themselves fighting exhaustion. After Obito brought those who had fallen back to life, all of the Kage corralled everyone who still had the energy to aid in moving the recently revived to a safer distance. Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, and the Tailed Beasts took off after Madara, with the Kage promising to join them as soon as their citizens were out of harm's way.

Sai hoisted the large scroll off his back. He pulled it open and materialized a brush from a compartment on the scroll as he started to work on the intricate seal that would hold Madara.

"That won't be necessary," a deep voice said.

Naruto spun away from Sai, trying to find the source of the sound. Movement caught his eye near Madara, and a figure walked out from behind the red torii stacked over his body.

The figure was pitch black, save for a cloudy, purple left eye, and a right eye that held a rinnegan. Naruto studied the newcomer, puzzled. It looked familiar, but he couldn't pin down where he had seen it before.

"What's going on?" Madara snapped, turning his head toward the figure. "What happened to Obito? I can no longer feel his chakra. Don't tell me you were incompetent enough to let him die before he could revive me!"

"There was a setback," Black Zetsu said coolly. "But I think I figured out a workaround that will do nicely."

Naruto's brow shot up. He remembered that voice. The all-black figure had been one of the Akatsuki members he had seen back when he was on a team trying to track down Itachi. It looked a little different, but its deep voice was certainly recognizable.

Black Zetsu raised a hand to Madara, a black rod emerging from its palm. The receiver shot free, piercing Madara through the heart. Madara gasped, raising his hand to the rod in shock. He tried to grasp it, but a painful burning sensation engulfed his hand when he did so. The rinnegan he possessed, although powerful, were only "false eyes" compared with the real thing. He was unable to use the real rinnegan in his current state, which was why his true revival had been so crucial. He dropped his hand from the rod as Black Zetsu shot him through the shoulder with another.

"What are you doing?" Madara spat, his voice rising. "You are my will incarnate! What made you think you could betray me?!"

Black Zetsu cackled, another receiver shooting from its palm through Madara's thigh.

"You're mistaken, Madara. We were working together to get to this point, but now you've exhausted what use you had to me. For you to think you were the only one capable of manipulating those around you was a very presumptuous notion."

A black rod shot through Madara's right arm. He bared his teeth at Black Zetsu, his eyes growing wild with rage. "I am the savior! The one who will finally bring peace to this world! You can't continue the plan without me — the infinite Tsukuyomi is an Uchiha jutsu!"

"And what makes you say that?" Black Zetsu asked, tilting its head in amusement.

"The stone tablet," Madara said, though a little uncertainly. "It was carved there by the Sage of Six Paths!"

Black Zetsu crouched, coming face-to-face with Madara.

"My dear Madara," it said, its tone like a mother comforting her child. "I have been around for much, much longer than you. Since discovering the stone tablet left by Hagoromo, I've had all the time I needed to make some … revisions. It's you who's been in a phantom dream — one that I have created."

Black Zetsu placed its hand between Madara's eyes. Madara looked back at it, dumbfounded.

"I don't need you anymore," Black Zetsu said. "And I don't want you to interfere, either."

Madara's head kicked back as a black rod rammed through his skull. His head slumped forward, his hair falling over his face. Madara groaned, but it looked like Black Zetsu had hit enough of his chakra points to leave him immobile. Satisfied, Black Zetsu came to its feet. It put its hands on its hips, shifting its attention to Naruto. "Where was I? Oh, that's right — congratulations on beating Madara, Naruto."

Naruto paused for a moment, finding something unsettlingly familiar about the way the creature was standing. "What … What the hell is going on?" Naruto shouted. "Whose side are you on anyway?"

"The winning one," Black Zetsu stated, phasing through the ground. Black flames erupted on the spot it had been a moment before. Sasuke leapt from the back of one of Sai's ink birds into the clearing. He scowled, disappointed that Black Zetsu had been able to dodge his Amaterasu. He quickly glanced at the incapacitated Madara, trying to assess the situation.

"That thing — Black Zetsu — did it do this?" he asked.

"I did," Black Zetsu responded, now on the opposite end of the rocky clearing. It sat casually upon a large boulder, slightly slouched.

 _It doesn't seem the least bit concerned about us,_ Sasuke thought, narrowing his eyes. _It has a rinnegan somehow, but so did Obito. It would need more than that to beat us._

"Naruto," Black Zetsu said. "The plan will continue. I'll be on my way now. Prove to me you're not a complete idiot by knowing what that means."

Black Zetsu faded through the ground, disappearing from sight.

Naruto frowned, grinding his teeth. "The Tailed Beasts," he said, looking to Sasuke. "Were they still coming here?"

Sasuke nodded.

Naruto bolted out of the clearing, a bright light glowing about him as he released the power of the Nine-Tails.

 _I need to hurry. I went through all that trouble setting them free; I can't let them become prisoners again!_

—

Black Zetsu phased slowly up from the ground, startling a group of shinobi who had been admiring the Tailed Beasts as they thundered past. Black Zetsu ignored the shinobi, bringing the thumb of its left hand to its mouth. It bit down, and pulled the thumb away to watch as thick, crimson blood started to drip from the tip. It smeared the blood on the palm of its right hand, placing it on the ground.

"Summoning jutsu!"

There was a delay, but after a few seconds the demonic statue appeared beneath Black Zetsu's feet in a cloud of smoke. The few shinobi who had been near enough to it cried out as they were violently flung into the air by the statue's sudden appearance. Although only the upper half of the monstrous statue was above ground, it brought Black Zetsu high enough to put itself at eye level with the Tailed Beasts. Black Zetsu glanced down to where the statue's right arm should have been, watching as a sand-like substance poured from its shoulder.

 _Something ripped its arm off in the seconds before it came here. But that shouldn't change things._

The Tailed Beasts skidded to a stop, turning as they sensed the chakra of the demonic statue appear behind them. They looked among each other, uncertain of the unexpected foe.

"Who is that?" asked the Four-Tails, leaning closer to the Two-Tails, a cat-like beast formed of blue flames.

"I do not recognize it," the Two-Tails replied.

"Everyone!"

The beasts turned to watch as the Nine-Tails joined the group. Naruto's Tailed Beast mode, now with Kurama's cooperation, was a sight to behold. The Nine-Tails' body was just as enormous as the other beasts: It was a translucent, fox-like figure that swirled with orange chakra beneath a series of black seal markers. Naruto stood within Kurama's head, shining like a beacon in his own right.

"Be careful!" Naruto yelled. "There's something weird with that Black Zetsu guy."

"Weird?" The Eight-Tails asked, tilting its horned head.

Naruto didn't answer. He stared across the distance at the dark figure, unable to suppress the feeling of uncertainty churning in his stomach.

—

Black Zetsu uncrossed its arms as Naruto approached the group of Tailed Beasts.

 _Took him long enough. Now, let's see what I can do._

It stomped its foot on the statue, nine lines of text shooting out over its surface. The text flowed over the statue, disappearing underground.


	70. Chapter 70

A/N: You'll probably notice in this chapter (and subsequent other ones) that the pronouns used to describe Black Zetsu will alter from "it" to "he" depending on who's POV I'm writing from. Black Zetsu is technically an "it", but from the show I noticed that some characters refer to Black Zetsu as "he" since it has a very masculine-sounding voice. Other characters that know a little more about Black Zetsu, like Sasuke for example, will refer to it as an "it" since they're more aware of what Black Zetsu is.

Other side note: Thank you to the guests who have been leaving reviews! I always appreciate the support :)

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"Let me handle it," Naruto said confidently, using his thumb to point at himself. "I can take him down, and you guys don't have to risk that statue sucking you guys in again."

"It may be a good strategy, making sure we all don't get too close to the statue," the Eight-Tails agreed.

"You bunch of cowards!" the One-Tail exclaimed. "Don't let the stupid fox show you up!"

The other Tailed Beasts grumbled, shooting the raccoon-like One-Tail wary looks.

"Naruto," Kokuō said, stepping up next to him. Four of its tails stood up proudly behind it, but the fifth dragged heavily in the dirt. Naruto frowned at it, wondering what could have caused such a traumatic injury.

"I will stand with you and protect you however I can. I will not negotiate on the matter," the beast said firmly.

Naruto didn't like the idea, but he knew arguing with Kokuō would do little good. Kokuō was doing this to honor Yuiko's memory, and Naruto had no place to take that away.

Naruto looked deep into the large, blue eye and nodded. Kokuō returned the nod, shifting its attention back to Black Zetsu.

"Alright!" Naruto yelled. "Let's go!"

Kurama and Kokuō attempted to lunge forward, but stopped as something tugged at their limbs.

"I can't move!" Kokuō cried, trying to lift its hooves.

Naruto looked to the ground below, his eyes growing wide as he spotted the spider-web-like design of text encircling each of the Tailed Beasts. "I think it's a seal," he said, wishing he had paid more attention during Yuiko's lesson.

The One-Tail grunted, slamming its fist on the ground. "It's holding us here! That bastard!"

Naruto frowned in thought. "Alright!" he shouted. "Everyone, form a Beast Bomb and aim for the statue! He might dodge it, but maybe he won't be able to keep up the seal at the same time!"

"Right!" the beasts cried in unison, forming the large balls of chakra in their maws. Orbs of red and blue chakra appeared in the air, coming together to form the massive purple bombs.

"Now!" Naruto yelled, the chakra blasting from their mouths at his command.

The Beast Bombs shot toward the statue, getting closer and closer, until … they began to shrink. The bombs quickly diminished as they flew through the air, dissipating into nothing before they reached the statue.

"Wha— what happened?" Naruto said, his voice wavering.

"These seals — they're doing more than just immobilizing us," Kurama said darkly.

"It must also be a chakra suppression seal," Kokuō interjected. "That thing absorbed some of our chakra while we were forming the bombs."

"So he took our chakra?" Naruto asked.

The mouth of the demonic statue suddenly opened wide, glowing green chains flying out toward the group. The chains wrapped tightly around the necks of the Tailed Beasts. The beasts cried out in pain and dug their heels into the dirt as the chains started to pull them toward the statue.

"Kurama!" Naruto yelled. Naruto raised his hand into the Earth Release seal, attempting to dismiss his tailed beast form.

 _Dammit! It's not working!_

Instead, he found himself being compelled backward, falling through into Kurama's torso.

"You bastard!" Naruto yelled, bringing himself to a stop. "I'm not letting you take Kurama!"

—

" _I don't know if Tailed Beasts can go to the Pure Land, but maybe someday I will see you again there."_

Black Zetsu faltered, the voice of the Five-Tails bouncing through its head.

 _So the woman's conscious is still around. Annoying, but it doesn't matter._

Black Zetsu used more of the chakra it had in reserve from the Tailed Beasts, pulling hard against the weakening grip of the One-Tail.

Black Zetsu's head snapped up as it sensed something appear behind it. A figure moved through its body, a kunai held firmly in its outstretched hand. Black Zetsu recognized the man as Tobirama Senju, the second Hokage. As Tobirama's form phased through Black Zetsu, it raised its right hand, forming a black receiver in its palm. Black Zetsu brought its arm down, forcing the rod through Tobirama's leg. He grunted, rolling away to the other end of the statue's head.

The reanimated second Hokage stood shakily, attempting to size up Black Zetsu. He had been hoping to strike while his target was distracted, but the last thing he had expected was to face a foe with a jutsu similar to Obito's. What was even more concerning was that Black Zetsu had been able to strike him while simultaneously phasing through his attack. Obito had only been able to do one or the other; having to deal with both at the same time would prove much more difficult.

"What makes you think," Black Zetsu said, its voice oozing with contempt, "that I have time for you?"

"What happened to Madara?" Tobirama said, his voice steady. He needed more time to plan, but the fate of Madara, along with his older brother, Hashirama, was also a matter weighing on his mind.

"Tobirama," Black Zetsu said, "as you can see, I'm busy. So let's get on with trying to kill each other."

As Black Zetsu leapt forward, Tobirama palmed a kunai from his side pouch and threw it in its direction. The kunai entered Black Zetsu's chest, Black Zetsu allowing the weapon to phase through. In a flash, Tobirama was gone. He reappeared, and gasped to find himself face-to-face with Black Zetsu.

 _How?_ Tobirama thought, glancing about wildly. He looked down, spotting his kunai sticking partially out of Black Zetsu's back.

 _Damn him … he knew I had marked that kunai with my Flying Raijin Jutsu. He only partially phased it through, so I would appear here when I tried to teleport._

"It was a mistake to assume I didn't know about your jutsu," Black Zetsu said. "Very presumptuous. You and Madara have more in common than you might think."

Tobirama gasped as Black Zetsu sliced through his torso with a black rod. The second Hokage shifted to the side, breaking free as his left arm fell uselessly at their feet. Black Zetsu motioned to slice at Tobirama again when something above them caught its attention. Tobirama watched in confusion as Black Zetsu closed its eyes, momentarily becoming a perfect profile devoid of all light. Its eyes snapped open, revealing what appeared to be a mangekyō sharingan in its left eye, but with the colors reversed.

"Amaterasu!" A voice shouted. Two shinobi with dark hair and eyes dropped to the statue from above. Sasuke purposely stalked toward Black Zetsu. He came to a halt when Black Zetsu failed to burst into flames. Sasuke dismissed the dōjutsu, studying Black Zetsu warily.

 _How did it counter that? What's going on?_

Two large objects shot past Sasuke. Tobirama leapt out of the way as the lion-like ink beasts descended on Black Zetsu. Their foe let out an exasperated sigh, another rod rising from its palm. It swung its arm, splattering the ink beasts as if it were batting away a fly.

"It makes sense that you all are here," Black Zetsu said, brandishing the rod like a sword. "But the near-endless sea of distractions I have to swim through to reach my goal is becoming tiresome."

Tobirama moved in a flash, a series of water senbon erupting from his mouth. The senbon moved through Black Zetsu without effect. It had its attention focused on Sasuke, who dashed forward brandishing his sword. The weapons met in a shower of sparks, Black Zetsu countering every move Sasuke made with ease.

"I am not soft like Madara," Black Zetsu said between blows. Sasuke was able to keep up with the creature, but found Black Zetsu left him no time to go on offense.

"Madara would see value in you, as a fellow Uchiha. However, all I can see is a boy swayed too easily by emotion."

Sasuke gritted his teeth, striking feebly at Black Zetsu.

"You really think you can compete against the rinnegan, boy?"

Sasuke was flung violently to the side by a strong strike to his jaw. He quickly got to his feet, wiping the blood from his lip.

He was struck again from behind, falling to his knees. He looked behind him, seeing nothing.

 _Black Zetsu hasn't moved. How is it doing this?_

"How sad," Black Zetsu said, watching Sasuke as he got to his feet. "You lose all your usefulness once you can no longer rely on those eyes of yours."

Black Zetsu glanced to its left, observing the pure-white figure of its Limbo standing silently next to it. Limbo was a technique unique to the rinnegan that allowed it to create a clone of itself in a plane undetectable by others. Being familiar with Sasuke's skill set, it felt this would be the quickest way to take him down. That, and it knew how much the technique would infuriate the boy. Fighting an assailant you can't see is the worst nightmare for any dōjutsu user, especially one as prideful as Sasuke.

"It's only a matter of time before I figure out your tricks!" Sasuke yelled, coming at him again.

 _I've upset him,_ Black Zetsu thought. _Good._

Sasuke was stopped short again as the limbo clone gripped him around the throat. Black Zetsu used the distraction to bring its attention back to its second largest threat. Tobirama had been stalking Black Zetsu from a distance, waiting for another opening. Tobirama appeared to be much smarter than the Uchiha boy, which meant leaving him to his own devices for too long would be unwise.

Black Zetsu's gaze moved to the opposite side of the statue where the last of the three foes stood.

 _Hmm. That will do._

Black Zetsu dropped beneath the surface of the statue. Tobirama and Sai tensed, their eyes darting about their feet. Tobirama let out a shout, and Sai felt a tingling sensation as the scroll on his back was phased off his body. He whipped about, watching Black Zetsu as it casually unrolled his scroll atop the statue.

"I wouldn't," Black Zetsu said, its attention never leaving the scroll as Sai moved in to strike with his sword. Sai froze. The killing intent Black Zetsu rolled off in an afterthought was enough to make his blood turn to ice. His grip on the tantō wavered as he watched Black Zetsu bring its hands together before its chest. Black Zetsu flashed a series of signs before pushing its palms to the paper. Shimmering blue text rippled from its hands before freezing in place and fading to black.

Sai's shock was enough to break Black Zetsu's influence as he took a step back. He recognized that seal. It was the base for one of his own seals, in fact. But the only person who he knew who could make the seal without using ink was dead.

Sai cried out as something pierced his shoulder. He turned his head to gaze at the kunai. Blue armor filled his vision as Tobirama appeared, balancing himself on Sai's shoulder with his remaining arm as he struck Black Zetsu across the jaw with a kick. Tobirama used his momentum to twist about, dragging Sai with him.

"Get back!" the Hokage shouted as he flung Sai aside. Sai rolled and bounced across the statue before coming to a stop. He raised his head in time to see the giant scroll in Black Zetsu's arms unravel and twist about Tobirama like a snake. The second Hokage disappeared in a poof of smoke as he was sealed within the paper. The large scroll dropped with a thud, Black Zetsu kicking it aside.

"He came to me. Idiotic, but convenient," Black Zetsu said, putting its attention back on Sasuke. It ignored Sai entirely as it strode past. Sasuke was standing defensively toward the center of the statue's head, the skeleton of a purple Susanoo encasing him as his eyes darted about. It seemed that he had come up with a solution to keep the clone at bay as he struggled to find a counter.

"It may not seem like it, but I'm also a victim to my own vices," Black Zetsu said mildly as it approached. "For instance, instead of having my clone kill you right away, I had it wait until I had a chance to watch."

Sasuke's eyes immediately locked on Black Zetsu. He lunged forward, stopping suddenly as he felt a tingling sensation. A wave of blood exploded from his chest as the limbo clone solidified the arm it had phased through his body. Sasuke grimaced, gritting his teeth as blood trickled out the corner of his mouth. The clone withdrew its arm and the Susanoo dissipated as Sasuke collapsed in a heap.

"I can't say White Zetsu was a companion I would have chosen of my own accord," Black Zetsu said, kneeling next to Sasuke's crumpled form. "However, he was also a creation of Mother's, and killing him was a grave insult to her legacy."

Sasuke didn't have the strength to reply, but his eyes widened marginally. He had killed White Zetsu mere hours ago in nothing more than an afterthought. The annoying creature had been a hindrance trying to hold Sasuke back. He had been exactly what Sasuke was to Black Zetsu right now; nothing more than an insect to be crushed underfoot. Black Zetsu wrapped its fingers around Sasuke's neck and started to squeeze.

"Let him go!"

Black Zetsu turned its head slightly to regard Sai. Sai had a number of paper bombs spread around his feet, a steadfast expression on his usually emotionless face.

"This statue is important to you," he said slowly. "I will detonate these and break it apart."

Black Zetsu tilted its head in amusement. "I'll call that bluff."

Sai's expression grew grim. He raised his hand into the 'earth' release seal but was interrupted as the head of the statue suddenly rocked back and forth. Sai's eyes darted to the side. He only spotted eight Tailed Beasts now, the Two-Tails yowling sharply as its form was sucked into the statue.

"Finally," Black Zetsu said, releasing Sasuke from its grip. It glanced over to the limbo clone which now stood patiently on the statue's shoulder. With Sasuke dealt with, Black Zetsu had ordered the clone to continue the process of extracting the Tailed Beasts. The statue was more than capable of keeping the beasts chained without aid, but pulling them in required some concentration on Black Zetsu's part.

Black Zetsu suddenly whipped about, firing a black receiver from its palm. The receiver became lodged in the space between Sai and Sasuke, Sai freezing mid-crouch in his attempt to reach out to him. The large scroll was once again on Sai's back, and an ink bird towered a few feet behind him.

Black Zetsu's eyes narrowed in frustration. It had not intended to miss impaling the boy. As helpful as this body was, Black Zetsu was quickly growing tired of what little pieces of the woman remained.

The statue rocked again as the Three-Tails was sucked in. Sai's attention was drawn to the remaining beasts, focusing on Naruto. A pained expression fell across his face. He looked down once more at Sasuke, before turning to leap onto the back of the bird. In one powerful motion, the bird launched itself into the air. Black Zetsu watched it passively before returning its attention to the Tailed Beasts. It couldn't care less about the boy, as long as he didn't try to save Sasuke.

"Now, where was I?" Black Zetsu said, clasping its hands together.

—

"Naruto."

Naruto forced his eyes open against the blinding pain. His vision was surrounded by the swirling orange of Kurama's chakra. He could feel every tear in his chakra coils as Kurama's influence was slowly stripped from him. Naruto had never been torn in half, but he had a feeling that this was a very comparable sensation.

Something cool bumped against his shoulder. A wave of chakra flowed through his body, helping moderately against the pain.

" _I promised her,"_ a voice echoed in his mind. _"I promised her I would fight that man any way I could."_

 _Kokuō?_ Naruto thought, his brow furrowing.

" _It's not much,"_ Kokuō continued, _"this is all the chakra I have left. I'm not as strong as I used to be, missing a tail, but I will protect you in every way I can. I owe Yuiko that much."_

Kokuō was ripped away, Naruto straining to watch as it was sucked into the statue.

As if setting off a chain reaction, the other Tailed Beasts followed quickly until only two remained. The Eight-Tails had dug its tentacles into the ground, but it was ultimately unable to fight the pull from the statue. The large bull was sucked in, the tips of a few of its tails ripping off in the process.

Naruto was thrown free of Kurama, landing heavily on something smooth. The material beneath him felt familiar, but his thoughts were too muddled to recognize it. He heard the deep boom of Kurama's voice, but he couldn't make out what it was saying. Kurama was suddenly cut off, giving way to silence. What little was left of Naruto's vision was clouded with tears. As the darkness drew in, Naruto felt something soft press against his neck, and the sensation of wind blowing through his hair.

 _No …_ Naruto thought, fighting to stay conscious. _Everyone … I need to …_

Naruto fell into darkness.

—

Black Zetsu kept an eye on Naruto as Sai caught his falling form on the back of the ink bird. The pale shinobi seemed to feel for a pulse as the Nine-Tails said something to him. Sai's head snapped up and the bird suddenly flew off into the distance. The Nine-Tails bowed its head as its grip faltered on the stone beneath its feet. The last Tailed Beast was absorbed into the statue in a flash of orange light.

 _The boy is as good as dead. Taking him away won't help,_ Black Zetsu thought smugly. _Now then …_

Black Zetsu raised its arms, readying itself to absorb the 10-Tails. Its hands froze in place before it could weave the sign. A wave of rage washed through its body, bubbling up like magma.

 _Damn this woman!_ It thought, fighting to bring its hands together. _Do I have to remind you that you wanted to become the 10-Tails jinchūriki? This was the price to negate your loneliness! You needed him dead … You helped me to kill him._

The rage disappeared in an instant. He could feel the woman's subconscious subsiding, falling back down into her pit of despair.

 _Pathetic,_ it thought.

It brought its hands together, the statue disappearing beneath it in a cloud of smoke. Black Zetsu landed lightly, turning to regard Sasuke as his body hit the ground with a heavy thud.

"Poor Sasuke," Black Zetsu said, standing over him. It ground its heel into Sasuke's palm to see if it could elicit a reaction. Sasuke didn't move.

"The last of a once-proud clan. I don't know who's more pitiful, you or Madara."

Black Zetsu regarded him for a moment, and turned away to walk toward the giant tree.

"So much time wasted," it mumbled to itself.


	71. Chapter 71

_It looks like everyone has cleared out. But why?_

Kakashi and Minato ran through the rubble, Obito's body bouncing lightly on Kakashi's back. Kakashi couldn't bring himself to leave him there, all alone. He had insisted that Minato go on ahead, but his sensei frankly rebutted the idea. Kakashi could sense the futility in trying to argue, and with a nod worked to secure Obito's wrists before flinging his body on his back. They were soon on their way to see if Naruto and the others required help against Madara.

 _Although I probably won't be able to do much,_ Kakashi thought.

He had been reaching for Obito's corpse when the demonic statue suddenly sprouted from it. Thinking the statue may have been a trap set to go off upon Obito's death, Kakashi acted quickly to break it apart using his kamui. However, the statue had disappeared as suddenly as it appeared; his kamui may have taken off a part of it, but he certainly didn't make it vanish on his own.

 _And that kamui might have been my last one; I've almost completely lost sight in my left eye. Who knows if I can even be of any use at this point?_

But the statue's sudden appearance had alarmed him. Even if he could no longer use his sharingan, he couldn't ignore the fact that his former students might be in trouble.

 _And what's more, it looks like everyone is gone from this area. We haven't seen a soul the entire time we've been running._

Something had caused everyone to retreat, but what?

Minato suddenly skid to a halt. Kakashi stopped, looking up to see a familiar shape speeding toward them.

 _Sai?_ Kakashi thought as the ink bird rapidly approached. _Where is he headed in such a hurry?_

The bird suddenly slowed, flinging up dirt as it touched down to the ground before them. Sai was crouched on its surface, alongside an unconscious Naruto.

"What happened?" Minato shouted, running to them.

Kakashi gingerly put Obito on the ground, making his way to the group.

"Black Zetsu," Sai said, looking between Naruto and Minato. "He summoned the statue and took in all the Tailed Beasts. And then ..." he looked down to Naruto, sweat dripping from his brow. "The Nine-Tails, it told me there was another piece of its chakra in Naruto's father. That if I got him to you, he could survive."

Minato quickly dropped to one knee before Naruto, grimly studying his son. Naruto's chakra was faint, but it was still detectable. There was also another chakra signature that Minato couldn't place, but it seemed to be slowing the effect of Naruto's chakra deprivation.

After a few seconds, Minato nodded. "Yes, I think it will work. Sai, please lift up Naruto's shirt."

Sai quickly obliged as Minato lifted his left arm. The jutsu would be easier with both, but his right arm had been torn off during his previous fight against Obito, so he would need to make do. An orange glow engulfed his body as he reached his hand toward Naruto. He placed his palm on Naruto's stomach, a series of thick, black marks appearing from the contact point. The lines faded, and the familiar spiral pattern of the Eight Trigrams Seal appeared as the orange chakra flowed from Minato to encase Naruto. Sai and Kakashi watched tensely as Minato worked.

The seal, and the chakra, faded, Minato withdrawing his arm. They collectively held their breath as Sai leaned forward, placing his fingers on Naruto's neck. A smile grew on his face as Naruto's pulse immediately started to grow stronger. Kakashi sighed, turning around suddenly at the sound of a loud 'thump' from behind them.

Obito's body lay twisted on the ground, a small cloud of dirt settling around it. Someone had tossed it while their attention had been on Naruto. He looked around, sensing no one; but then something small fell from the sky, landing in the dirt with a 'plop.' Kakashi looked up and froze.

A figure was floating in the air above them, oozing a frigid aura that suddenly appeared when Kakashi focused his attention on it. It looked like coiling grey ash, similar to what he had seen a volcano spew out before an eruption. The smoke formed the outline of a human wearing a flowing cloak. Two small horns protruded from where its forehead would be, with more smoke flowing behind them to shape long, hair-like tendrils that floated in all directions. Ten Truth-Seeking Orbs formed a halo about the creature, confirming Kakashi's initial fear upon seeing it.

 _It's the Ten-Tails jinchūriki, alright. But that thing isn't Madara ... is it?_

The figure above them had no facial features other than a rinnegan for its right eye. It had its hand over the left side of its face, fidgeting with something. It removed the hand, revealing another rinnegan. Something in Kakashi's mind clicked.

 _It needed the other rinnegan, and took it from Obito's corpse while we were distracted. How did I not sense it?! It's exuding this incredible aura, but I can't sense its chakra signature at all._

"Sai," Minato said, keeping his eyes on the figure, "get Naruto to the medical unit."

"Right," Sai said with a nod. The ink bird flapped its wings, rising from the ground.

The Truth-Seeking Orbs about Black Zetsu spread apart, forming a large ring around its body. One of the orbs floated forward as Black Zetsu locked its attention onto Naruto.

 _They used the Nine-Tails chakra in the fourth Hokage to save him,_ Black Zetsu thought. _It's my own fault for letting that variable slip my mind. Allowing him to live might cause a problem. Better to kill him now._

Minato flung a kunai at Black Zetsu. He vanished in a flash, appearing before it as he clutched the kunai in his hand.

Black Zetsu watched apathetically, willing the Truth-Seeking orbs to converge upon Minato. It knew full well that the orbs would permanently tear Minato's reincarnated body apart. But the orbs didn't move.

 _What? How is she able to still have any influence?!_

Minato swung the kunai at Black Zetsu's throat, his eyes widening in surprise as he passed right through it. His body tumbled through the cloud of smoke making up Black Zetsu, but he quickly whipped around, forming a rasengan in his palm. He cried out as he shoved the spinning orb of wind chakra into Black Zetsu's side. Black Zetsu grunted in surprise as it was thrown back from the force of the blow. Black Zetsu steadied itself, now floating a few yards away. The rasengan hadn't done much damage, but Black Zetsu was taken aback by its ability to make contact.

 _So you kept something hidden about your ability,_ it thought, annoyed. Digging deeper into her mind, Black Zetsu was able to see that Yuiko was unable to phase through attacks with a turbulent chakra signature. Black Zetsu had previously assumed her ability could make her phase through most jutsu, much like Obito.

 _Although now that I'm aware of it, it can be a simple weakness to defend. It's not like there's anyone left other than the Nine-Tails who could do anything more than a glancing blow. He may have gotten away, but if I act quickly, I can activate the Infinite Tsukuyomi before he recovers._

—

Minato dropped to the ground, studying Black Zetsu. He sensed his distraction had allowed Sai and Naruto to escape. But how they were going to stop this creature — Black Zetsu, as Sai called it — was beyond him. He had been able to land a blow with his rasengan, but Black Zetsu seemed minimally damaged, at best. And he couldn't shake the feeling his last hit could be chalked up as a fluke.

"What do you know about this thing?" Minato asked solemnly.

"Less than I'd like," Kakashi said, keeping his attention locked on the still figure above them. "It's able to move through objects like Obito, but you were still able to strike it with the rasengan. That makes its abilities more like —"

Kakashi stopped. Minato dared a brief glance in his direction. "Kakashi?"

"It's nothing," Kakashi said quickly. "I'll distract it; you try to get in close with another rasengan."

"Be careful," Minato said as Kakashi dashed forward.

Kakashi kept his eyes locked on his opponent as the distance quickly closed between them. Black Zetsu's attention was elsewhere as it gazed at the giant flower stalk. Its eyes shifted toward Kakashi as he approached, but it otherwise remained motionless.

Kakashi came to a stop below the creature. He flashed a series of signs before bringing his hand to his mask. A fireball three times his height erupted from his mouth, engulfing Black Zetsu. Kakashi crouched, lightning crackling over his right hand as he stared at the flames.

 _What are you going to do?_ Kakashi thought, his eyes narrowing.

The flames began to dissipate, revealing Black Zetsu floating above him, having not moved a muscle. Kakashi sprung upward, jutting his right arm forward as the screech of the chidori filled his ears. He shifted the flow of chakra, altering the form of the jutsu. This time, Black Zetsu moved aside.

Kakashi hesitated.

Black Zetsu dipped to Kakashi's left, bringing itself face-to-face with him as it gripped his forearm to push the chidori aside. Kakashi's eyes grew wide as he looked into the purple and black rinnegan staring back at him. One of the Truth-Seeking Orbs formed into a spear in Black Zetsu's free hand. It drove the spear down toward Kakashi's neck.

There was a 'clink' as the tip of the spear hit something metallic, and in an instant Minato was between Kakashi and the spear. Minato used his grip on the kunai to fling the spear aside, wincing as the weapon grazed his back.

Kakashi used the distraction to shift his right hand to Black Zetsu's shoulder. The creature recoiled as the chidori sliced through the smoke, and Kakashi found himself falling to the ground below as Black Zetsu released its grip. Kakashi landed on his feet, Minato at his side. They looked up at Black Zetsu as the creature swung its arm and the orbs about it began to stretch into wide, spiked panels.

Minato flung his kunai, but the weapon only flew a few feet before it was stopped short as it struck a Truth-Seeking Orb. Minato's eyes widened in alarm, realizing that Black Zetsu had put an orb aside for the very purpose of trapping them.

Minato was thrown into shadow, and his eyes darted back to Black Zetsu and the spiked panels floating above them.

"Sensei," Kakashi said. "Get behind me."

Minato's brow furrowed. "Can you still use kamui?"

"We'll find out."

Black Zetsu casually waved its arm, the panels shooting forward. Kakashi readied his kamui, but the panels suddenly stopped their descent. Black Zetsu was looking behind it, its attention locked on a ball of blue light that rapidly approached. The orbs retreated back to Black Zetsu, twisting into a giant ball around its body.

"Hirudora! Afternoon Tiger!"

Kakashi closed his eyes, unable to tolerate the blinding light that erupted above him. He felt a bump against his shoulder and a tugging sensation, and opened his eyes to see that his Sensei had teleported them to a safer distance. He blinked in surprise to see that he and Minato were not alone. His Sensei was now crouched on the ground, his arm wrapped around Guy's torso. Guy groaned as he regained consciousness.

 _He's no longer in the Eight Gates mode,_ Kakashi thought. _That attack must have used all the energy he had left._

Kakashi looked back to where they had been. Black Zetsu's orb floated in place, seemingly no worse for wear. Kakashi balled his hands into fists, anger boiling in his gut.

"Are you alright, Guy?" Minato asked, watching Guy as he staggered to his feet.

"Don't worry Lord Fourth, my dynamic entry left me no worse for wear!" Guy laughed, his merriment cut short as his right arm twitched. He grimaced, but quickly replaced the look with a confident expression.

"Thank you, Guy," Minato said. His eyes moved to Kakashi, a frown growing on his face as he studied his student's furious expression. Minato could understand the animosity, but it wasn't like Kakashi to wear his emotions on his sleeve.

"I think we should retreat," Minato said firmly. "We'll find the Kage and work on a strategy from there."

Minato was expecting Kakashi to protest, but to his surprise it was Guy who spoke up. "I'm afraid I must disagree, Lord Fourth," Guy said. "I recently helped to get many of my comrades to safety, and I do not wish to jeopardize them by allowing our foe to roam free. Allow me to handle this challenge; there is a level of my taijutsu that I can use to handle him."

The rage on Kakashi's face melted away in an instant as he whipped his head around to regard Guy. "No, Guy, you can't—"

Guy stepped forward, unbuttoning the top of his jacket.

"What is he doing?" Minato asked, watching Guy apprehensively.

"Please, Guy," Kakashi said, unable to hide the panic in his voice. "I've already seen one friend die from the effects of the Eight Gates; I can't handle watching another."

"The Eighth Gate?" Minato said, his voice rising. "Guy, think about this! There's no need to sacrifice your life!"

Guy ignored Minato's remark as he put his thumb to his chest. "The end has come for Konoha's Blue Beast. It's true that not everything we wish for will come to be … but things that we must do, must always begin with a wish." His voice was steady, sounding almost peaceful in his resolve. "It's time for the Red Beast to emerge!"

Kakashi watched helplessly. This war had already taken so much. Yuiko was gone. Obito was gone. And now …

"Kakashi."

Guy turned his head to regard him. He smiled broadly. "The true purpose of this formation has always been to protect something precious enough to give your life for. I feel honored that I have friends, comrades, and a village that are dear enough to my heart to fulfill that purpose. Watch closely, Eternal Rival, and witness the true nature of passionate youth!"

Guy brought his attention back to Black Zetsu. The orb around Black Zetsu had retreated, the creature watching them warily as it studied Guy.

Guy pierced his chest with his thumb, forcing it down until he nicked his heart. "Open! Eight Inner Gates Formation!"

His body swirled with steam, tainted red by his boiling blood, his hair floating up like flames.

Moving faster than Kakashi imagined possible, Guy leapt toward Black Zetsu. Kakashi watched in amazement as Guy kicked the air itself, allowing him to change course mid-flight as he dodged the Truth-Seeking Orbs.

Kakashi pushed down the sorrow that threatened to swallow him whole as he regarded his friend's final act. He let the sadness be overshadowed by the burning hatred he felt toward the creature that, somehow, reminded him of Yuiko. Whether by design or not, Black Zetsu's abilities were similar to hers, and the fact tore at Kakashi's heart.

 _Guy,_ Kakashi thought. _I don't agree with your decision to sacrifice your life, but at the very least I hope you can destroy that monster._


	72. Chapter 72

The boy stepped gingerly through the dead grass, taking care to make as little noise as possible. He wasn't sure if the one who had taken over this place would notice his presence regardless, but he wasn't itching to find out. It had taken him some time to locate his destination among the endless sea of burnt trees; his heart beat faster as the pool of black ink came into view. He could see the woman in it, the ink up to her navel. Her eyes were closed, and her head bowed. Streaks of black ink ran down her face like tears, and strings of it reached up from the pool to stick to her shoulders. The boy reached the edge of the pool, getting on all fours to lean over it.

"Hey! Hey lady!" he whispered urgently. Yuiko didn't move. The boy looked around, finding a blackened branch lying nearby. He grabbed it, using it to prod Yuiko's shoulder. Black liquid shot up from the pool, wrapping itself around the end of the stick. The boy pulled the stick back, grimacing at the goo. He tossed it aside, plopping down on the crunchy grass and crossing his legs. He decided to try a different tactic.

"This place used to be yours, I guess. It's, uh …" he trailed off, glancing around at the dead forest.

"Yeah, anyway, you're probably wondering why I'm here," he said, wriggling slightly as he changed his train of thought. Yuiko remained motionless. He frowned, nervously adjusting the orange goggles on his head.

"Well, I died. Funny way to start a story, right? But yeah, I died, and when I did, I saw Rin," Obito said, his face breaking out into a smile. "It was great! I was so happy to see her again. And it was nice, since I was able to bring all those people back to life. So I finally felt like … I was worthy of seeing her. And I was ready to go — to move on, ya know? But then she said that she was worried about Kakashi. And you."

He laughed, but quickly clapped his hands over his mouth. Obito remained still, listening for any sign of Black Zetsu having noticed his presence. He let out a sigh, putting his hands down.

"Sorry," he said, quieter now. "It's just … it was something else, being able to experience her again. She always did worry about everyone."

He watched Yuiko again, waiting to see if she made any reaction. When she didn't, he continued.

"So Rin — oh yeah, you don't know Rin. She was on the team with Kakashi and me. Anyway, she's been watching us since she died. She was always looking out for us. Anyway, she said she was watching Kakashi when he saw Black Zetsu. She doesn't think Kakashi noticed it, but she saw Black Zetsu rip out an eye that looked like yours before putting the rinnegan in. And then later, when it was doing some special jutsu, she knew that it was you, even though she said you'd died. And here I was thinking I was special for being able to bring people back!"

He smiled at his own joke, watching her. His smiled wavered when he received no reaction.

"Anyway," he said with a sigh, "she wanted to help you, but she didn't know how. And so I felt around, and there was still some of my chakra left in the rinnegan, so I could kinda form a link. I'm here because I want to save you — uh, Rin and I want to. Because you're …"

He trailed off, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "You're, like, Kakashi's girlfriend, or something. I don't see why you'd _want_ to be, but, you know …"

Obito jumped. Yuiko's head had turned toward him. Her eyes were still shut, and with the black markings she looked like something out of a horror movie. Obito grimaced, trying to keep his composure.

"It's a lie," Yuiko said softly. Obito reluctantly leaned closer in an effort to hear her better.

"Wha-What's a lie?" he asked nervously.

"He doesn't love me. He lied," she said.

Obito bowed his head, scraping up dead grass as he balled his fists on the ground.

"Are you stupid or something?!" he yelled, raising his head. He glared at her, gritting his teeth. "Kakashi can be a jerk, OK? A big one! And he's a know-it-all, and sometimes he won't listen because he thinks his answer is the only right one. But …"

Obito slammed his fists on the ground. "But he's a good friend! And he wouldn't lie to his friends! And if he said he loves you, then he loves you! He wouldn't lie about something important like that! And Rin says he does love you, so if you're calling him a liar, then you're calling her a liar too!"

Obito stared at her, breathing heavily. He had forgotten all pretenses of keeping his cover. Luckily, Black Zetsu was preoccupied.

"You say he wouldn't lie," Yuiko said, her tone mocking. "I guess you don't know him as well as you thought."

Yuiko turned her head away from him. "Leave."

"No!" Obito said, running around the pool to face her. "You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself!"

"You know nothing about me," Yuiko spat, her voice growing louder.

"I know you let Black Zetsu convince you that you're worthless!" Obito shouted. "That everyone you love has abandoned you!"

Yuiko frowned, confused. "Who are you?"

"I was like you," Obito said, calming himself. "I let Black Zetsu and Madara convince me that there was no moving forward — that the only way I could be happy again was to try to recreate the past, even if it was just an illusion. And by the time Naruto and Kakashi came along to bring me out of it … well, it's kind of too late for me to move forward now. But it's not too late for you."

He crouched down, reaching his hand out to her. "When Rin died, I lost everything. She was the light in my darkness. If Kakashi loves you like Rin says, then I think you're the same thing to him. I don't want him to have to lose you like how I lost Rin."

Yuiko shook her head sadly. "I want … to believe you. But there's nothing there. When I try to remember, it's just blank. What you're saying … it can't be true. I should be able to remember being loved, but I can't."

Yuiko's voice broke as she spoke. Her body sunk lower into the black goo.

"Black Zetsu!" Obito shouted, trying to regain her attention. "Black Zetsu isn't human! It doesn't understand what is or isn't important unless we tell it! It only erased the memories you told it were important! You have to think of the others — the smaller ones that didn't stick out much, but are still a piece of what connects you to others. For me …"

He paused, a little embarrassed. "It was Rin bringing me my papers when I missed the academy's entrance ceremony. Or when I picked up the picture I had of her and tried to kiss —"

He stopped, flustered. "Anyway, they were small, but that's how I was able to remember who I was — that I was Obito Uchiha. What makes you remember you're …? Uh, wait, what was your name again?"

.

* * *

.

Yuiko's head snapped up at the sound of the front door closing. She sprung to her feet, phasing through the wall of her bedroom.

"Welcome home!" she yelled enthusiastically, her arms open wide as she slid across the floor. Naruto jumped, nearly dropping the plastic bag in his hand. He had come home from training with Jiraiya about two weeks ago, and he was still getting used to having another person in his apartment.

"Geez, you're gonna give me a heart attack," Naruto mumbled, stepping around her.

Yuiko clutched her hands to her chest, watching him walk down the hall.

"How was your day? Did you do any training? Are you hungry? Oh, wait, let me draw you a bath first."

"I'm fine!" Naruto interjected, trying to keep his tone light. "I think I'm just going to be in my room, OK?"

"Oh, alright! We can talk when dinner is ready!" Yuiko said hopefully.

"Nah — I mean, I already went to the store," Naruto said, holding up the shopping bag.

"Oh, of course!" Yuiko said.

Naruto gave her a half-hearted wave before closing the door behind him. Yuiko stood in the hallway, nervously wringing the material of her nightshirt in her hands.

—

"Welcome home!" Yuiko exclaimed, popping her head out from the kitchen.

"Oh, hey Yuiko," Naruto said, already making his way down the hall.

"You were training with Rock Lee today, right? How did it go? I'm sure it must be different, not being able to train with Kakashi while he's still in the hospital."

"Yeah, it is," Naruto replied from down the hall.

"I made dinner!" Yuiko shouted.

"I already went out for ramen, but thanks!"

The sound of Naruto's bedroom door closing floated down the hall. Yuiko puffed out her cheeks, digging her thumbnail into the counter top.

—

Yuiko sat cross-legged on her bed, mending a hole in her jacket. The front door clicked open as she made her final pass with the needle.

"I'm home!"

Yuiko froze, her hand shaking.

"Oh, you are here," Naruto said, leaning against her door frame. "I'm glad — I was tryin' to think of a way to say thanks for you letting me meet Kokuō yesterday. But then I realized I don't actually know what you like, and Kakashi-Sensei isn't around for me to ask."

He grinned, rubbing the back of his head.

"Maybe I can make you dinner or something? I eat the leftovers in the fridge, and they're pretty good. But I'm not that good of a cook, so I don't know if I can make you anything you'd like. So you can say no if you want."

Yuiko blinked, recalling her voice. "Uh, anything. Anything is fine."

"OK, great!" Naruto said with a grin, disappearing from her doorway. Yuiko looked down at her jacket, a smile growing on her face as she finished the repair.

.

* * *

.

"Coming!" Yuiko shouted. She phased through the laundry basket in the hallway, slapping her cheeks in an attempt to perk herself up. She opened the door, freezing at the sight of Kakashi.

"Um ... yo," he said awkwardly, scratching the side of his face.

"Did someone die?" Yuiko asked, concerned.

"Huh? No. What are you talking about?"

"You only use the door if it's serious."

"Everything is fine. I just … You've been gone for over a week, and Noboru said you wanted me to visit sometime, so …" Kakashi trailed off, looking behind her. He could see the counter top was covered with dirty dishes. Piles of laundry were stacked up on the table and chairs, and Yuiko seemed disheveled. If he hadn't known any better, he would have guessed she'd been on a strenuous mission for the past week.

"If this is a bad time …" he continued, nervously clutching the paper bag he held in one hand.

"No!" Yuiko said, waving him in. "I mean, I've been falling behind on my chores a little, but it's fine!"

Kakashi stepped into the apartment, doing his best not to touch anything as Yuiko closed the door behind him.

"Everything has been great!" Yuiko chirped, quickly scooping up dishes and piling them into the sink. "I've just been a little busy! Plus Mikoto is out of the village, so I've had no one to babysit."

Kakashi's brow furrowed. "Couldn't you just commission a D-Rank? Genin do babysitting missions all the time."

Yuiko hesitated for a second, but quickly picked up another plate. "I can't do that."

Kakashi regarded her, waiting for Yuiko to continue. When she didn't, he decided to drop the issue. He glanced down at the baby sitting on the rug, busy smacking the head of a stuffed lion over and over into the side of the couch. With his other hand the baby held something green in his mouth.

"Should he be eating that?" Kakashi asked, pointing to Naruto.

Yuiko was on the floor in an instant. She swapped the green object out with a binky before the baby could notice. She sighed, shaking out her coin purse as she returned to the kitchen.

"He loves this thing for some reason," she said, removing the paper money, now slightly damp, from her frog-shaped purse. "He's walking already, and I keep forgetting to put it out of reach."

"Noboru mentioned that he helped you secure all the furniture to the walls," Kakashi said. "Seems a little extreme."

"He's a climber!" Yuiko said, a little too cheerfully. "Can I get you something? I can make some tea. I think I still have some somewhere."

"No thanks," Kakashi said, lifting the bag in his hand. "This is for you, if you want it."

Yuiko took the bag, her eyes growing wide as she looked inside. "These are pork buns."

"I know."

"They're my favorite," she said with a smile, looking up at him.

Kakashi blushed, looking away.

"They smell amazing!" Yuiko said, taking one from the bag. "Where did you get them?"

"I … don't really remember," he said nervously as she took a bite. Kakashi had made them at home, but his cooking hobby wasn't something he liked to talk about.

"That's too bad!" she said after she swallowed. She took another large bite. "They're sho good!"

Kakashi nodded amicably, sitting on the arm of the couch. He immediately regretted the decision, shooting back up when he felt that it was wet.

"I haven't had the energy to make warm food in a while," Yuiko said, more to herself.

Kakashi watched her finish the pork bun, then gingerly roll up the bag and place the rest of the buns in the fridge.

Yuiko walked up to him, a shy smile on her lips. "Thank you for coming to see me. It means a lot."

"I'm sorry I haven't been by in a while," he said, a little ashamed.

"Oh, no!" Yuiko said, putting her hands to her chest. "I didn't think you would! I mean, I'm glad you did, but I know it must feel weird coming here. You knew them for longer than I did."

Kakashi bowed his head, and the two stood in silence.

The apartment looked so different than it had when Minato-Sensei lived there. Back when Minato-Sensei was alive.

Kakashi looked up, watching Yuiko for a few seconds as she stared across the room.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah!" Yuiko said, her face immediately brightening. "Things have been going so fast! But it's fun, you know? Naruto does something new every day, and it's so amazing! It's hard to keep up sometimes!"

Yuiko laughed, looking down at the baby. "But it's OK. Everything is OK."

Kakashi studied her face before hesitantly reaching out to her. Yuiko flinched, feeling Kakashi's hand on the back of her head. He pulled her toward him, until her forehead rested on his shoulder. They stood like that, Yuiko unsure of what to do.

Tears suddenly clouded Yuiko's vision. She brought her hands to her shoulders, hugging herself. "I miss them so much," she whispered, watching the tears fall onto Kakashi's sandals. "And I can't mess up; it has to be perfect. I'm in charge of him. I can't let them down."

"You're doing your best, Yuiko," Kakashi said gently.

"But what if it isn't good enough?" Yuiko sobbed. "What if I mess him up? Mikoto is helping me, but I still feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't know if I'm feeding him the right things, or if I'm taking him out too much because he keeps getting sick. Mikoto says it's normal for him to get the sniffles, but then he cries and cries because he can't breathe through his nose and there's nothing I can do! And he's so smart, Kakashi! He figures out how to reach things he shouldn't be able to, and it's great, but at the same time it's scary because what if I turn around for a second and he hurts himself? And when he smiles, it makes me so happy! But then he looks just like Minato and I start crying and I wish they were here to see him. It's not fair! I shouldn't be here! It's wrong … It's a mistake. I … I can't …"

"You can," Kakashi whispered.

Yuiko sobbed, Kakashi gently stroking the top of her head. She grew quiet after a few minutes, lifting her head off his shoulder. They looked at each other, Kakashi's face growing warm. He moved his hand to cup her cheek. Yuiko blinked, quickly turning away to wipe her tears.

"I'm sorry I'm such a crybaby," she said from her sleeve. "And your foot's all wet, too."

"Don't worry about it," Kakashi said, putting his hands in his pockets. He glanced down at Naruto, who curiously looked up at them as he stood leaning against a shelf.

"Hey, you said he was walking already, right?" Kakashi asked, his eye turning up as he smiled.

Yuiko looked down at Naruto, her face lighting up. The redness over her nose was the only indication of her previous emotional state. She kneeled on the floor, opening her arms wide.

"Come on! You can do it! Show Kakashi so he knows I wasn't lying!"

The baby toddled over to her, wobbling precariously as he pushed out his chubby arms to stay balanced. He finally reached her, Yuiko scooping him up into her arms with joy. She pressed her cheek against his, squishing the whisker-like lines that ran across his cheeks.

"Did you see? He's a genius! Most babies can't walk this early, from what Mikoto told me!"

She looked up at Kakashi, beaming. "He's going to be an amazing shinobi, just as strong as his mom and dad!"

The baby burped, spitting up on her. "Aww come on," she frowned, looking down at her shirt. "Noodles?! When did you eat noodles?"

* * *

A/N: 10 imaginary internet points to whoever remembers the chapter where I foreshadowed Obito's conversation with Yuiko ;)


	73. Chapter 73

Yuiko opened her eyes. Her reflection was staring back at her from the black pool. She lifted her head, regarding the only thing left around her that had any color.

Obito was grinning from ear to ear, his orange goggles and deep blue jacket a stark contrast to the greys and browns of the forest behind him. He held out his hand to her, which came into focus as her mind grew less cloudy. Yuiko pulled at her left arm, the goo stubbornly sticking to it as she reached for him. She clasped his hand, then pulled out her right arm, grabbing tightly onto his forearm. He felt warm.

Obito took a step back, straining against the black liquid. "Come on! You can do it!" he grunted as he pulled.

Yuiko kicked her legs beneath the surface of the pool, her limbs feeling surprisingly weak.

 _I … I can't._

" _You can."_

Yuiko cried out, pulling her right knee to the edge of the pool. Obito yanked her back, dragging her from the liquid. The goo clung stubbornly to her limbs, but started to fall back as she scrambled farther away.

" _We look out for each other, that's how it works!"_ Naruto's voice echoed.

Memories flooded back to Yuiko, coming together like pieces of a puzzle to form a complete picture.

" _I never stopped being in love with you,"_ Kakashi's voice said, floating over the memory of him cupping his hand over her cheek.

The memory of when he came to visit her the day she broke down had been one she had tried to forget. Yuiko had fixated so heavily on how embarrassed she felt, she had forgotten about everything else.

 _But the memory where I made a fool of myself may have just saved me._

The last of the black goo fell from her skin, retreating into the pool. Yuiko was sprawled out on the dry grass, catching her breath. She looked over at Obito, who stooped with his hands on his knees, seemingly exhausted.

"Thank you," Yuiko said timidly, pushing herself into a sitting position.

Obito looked up, giving her a broad grin. "No problem!" he laughed. "I used to love helping people. You could say it's a habit I'm trying to get into again."

Yuiko smiled, the color returning to her features. Obito noticed that she had seemed "muted" before, her hair now becoming more purple and her skin taking on a pinker hue. He frowned, finding her oddly familiar all of a sudden.

Obito gasped. Alarmed, Yuiko whipped her head around to look behind her. She frowned, turning back to regard Obito when she didn't see anything. Obito stood with his mouth agape, pointing at her with a shaking finger.

"You're the Five-Tails!" he yelped. "You're the crazy lady who almost got us both trapped in a demon for eternity! Kakashi has to be insane!"

Yuiko tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as she studied Obito. "Do I … know you from somewhere?"

—

Obito and Yuiko walked side-by-side through the forest. They weren't headed anywhere in particular; Yuiko had just wanted to get away from the black pool. She was chewing on her thumbnail in thought as they walked, pondering Obito's idea.

Obito glanced at her every now and then, hoping she could make it work. The idea was to somehow separate her from Black Zetsu, without the residual effect of her dying from being separated from the 10-Tails. She could survive if she was able to keep the Demonic Statue within her, but it was unlikely that she'd be able to take it from Black Zetsu by force. Obito had another theory, based on his own experience in the matter.

"I could feel the Tailed Beasts — all of them — as they were being pulled out," he had told her. "I think maybe, if they chose to give you some of their chakra, it would keep you from dying. You said you got along well with the Five-Tails, so it might work; it could have worked for me, but they were obviously not going to do me any favors at the time."

The problem Obito hadn't been able to figure out, though, was how to get Yuiko to fight off Black Zetsu. The creature had almost total control now, and Yuiko admitted she didn't think she could completely overpower it. Obito had some chakra built up that he could give her, but they both agreed that it would be useless if she couldn't wield it correctly.

Yuiko came to a sudden stop. She crossed her arms, drumming her fingers as a smile grew on her lips.

"Hmph. That'll really piss it off," she said. She looked down at Obito, giving him a thumbs-up.

"You figured it out?" he said, looking up at her hopefully.

"I think so," Yuiko said snidely. "I'm going to get it to kick me out."

"Wait, you can do that? How?"

Yuiko clutched her arms behind her back, looking up into the grey sky. "You'll see!" she chirped.

Obito's smile faded, his stomach turning in guilt. "Hey, Yuiko?"

"Hmm?" she said, looking down at him.

"I'm sorry … about what I did to you before. It was like I was a different person back then. I'm not trying to make excuses or anything; I … I murdered you. And you probably wouldn't have this happening to you right now if I hadn't. And I hurt you, and Kakashi, and everyone who cares about you when you died. I know the pain from that won't ever go away. And I'm really, really sorry."

"Obviously," Yuiko said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Eh?" Obito said, taken aback.

"Obviously you feel bad about what you did, or you wouldn't be here."

"Well, yeah," he said, sheepishly scratching the side of his face.

"I'm happy for Kakashi," Yuiko said with a smile. "He got his friend back. He was able to see you again, and the two of you made peace. I'm happy for you too, of course, but you also killed me, so I'm a little less happy for you than I am for Kakashi."

Obito gave a half-hearted shrug. "Fair enough," he said.

Yuiko continued to stare at him. Obito shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"Thank you for yelling at me, and calling me stupid," Yuiko said suddenly. Obito balked.

"Why the hell thank me for that?" he asked.

Yuiko's smile grew thoughtful. "I've been allowing my fear of the future to rule my life for a long time," she said softly. "After I came to Konoha, all I did was worry that I would lose what I had found. And sometimes, when that fear came true, I would obsess over it happening again so much that I couldn't see the grip it had on me. A lot of things in my life would have changed for the better, I think, if I had faced my fear; if I had just stopped pitying myself for losses that hadn't even happened yet. It was nice having someone tell me to stop feeling sorry for myself."

Yuiko placed her hand on Obito's head, ruffling his hair. Obito scowled at her.

"Stop. I'm a grown man, you know," he grumbled.

Yuiko obliged, removing her hand. "After I get out," she said, "what will happen to you?"

Obito's irritated expression shifted. "Huh, I'm not sure," he said, putting his hands in his pockets as he looked up into the sky. "Probably go back to the afterlife. I wish I could see Kakashi again, but I have a feeling that this whole thing was a one-time deal."

Yuiko studied him, tilting her head. "You're basically just chakra, right?"

"Uh, I think so," Obito replied, a little apprehensive.

Yuiko lifted her right arm, turning it over so the bottom of her forearm faced the sky. She put her left pointer finger to her skin, pressing it against it in an attempt to draw a symbol. She pulled back her finger, satisfied with the result as a glowing blue symbol faded to black on her wrist.

"I've never done one of these before, but if you're willing to take the risk, I think I can help you," she said with a smile.

Obito frowned, uncertain, but nodded solemnly as he made up his mind. Yuiko bowed her head, drawing the symbols onto her skin as fast she was able.

.

* * *

.

"Sensei!"

Kakashi's kunai cut through the air. It flew in between Black Zetsu and Guy, the former molding the ten Truth-Seeking Orbs into tridents that threatened to tear Guy apart. In a flash, Minato was where the kunai had been. He grunted as four of the tridents dug into his torso; but in another flash, he was gone. Where he went, Kakashi wasn't sure, but they had figured out already that Black Zetsu was only able to control the orbs up to a certain distance, so Minato had likely taken the orbs far enough away that the objects would be outside Black Zetsu's range.

Even with the Eight Gates open, Guy had struggled against Black Zetsu due to the orbs. Their enemy was able to manipulate the orbs into any shape it required for offense or defense, often simultaneously. On top of that, Black Zetsu was a cautious opponent; strikes that may have torn it to pieces were blocked on all sides as the orbs flattened into shields. Kakashi and Minato may not have been able to do much to Black Zetsu directly, but the two of them devised a plan to clear a path for Guy. Black Zetsu was down to six orbs now, three of them flying past Guy as he nimbly twisted around them.

Guy let out a shout, a wave of red steam erupting from his body. The three orbs around Black Zetsu began to spread and twist themselves together to create a sphere in defense.

 _This is it,_ Kakashi thought, mustering the last of his chakra.

"Kamui!"

One of the three black panels twisted into a spiral and disappeared. Guy was closer now, the steam around his body forming the shape of a flaming red dragon. His figure became a blur as Kakashi lost all sight in his left eye. Even with the sharingan, Guy was moving so fast now that Kakashi doubted he would be able to see him. Kakashi saw one final glimpse of Black Zetsu recoiling from the opening in its barrier before it disappeared in the coiling red mass. The explosion of light was blinding; Kakashi was flung off his feet from the resulting wave of debris. Guy's attack had overflowed with more raw power than he could comprehend.

As the dust began to settle, Kakashi pushed a chunk of rubble off himself and rose to his feet. He held his breath as he strained his senses for any signs of movement. A noise cut through the air, and Kakashi's blood ran cold.

It was laughter.

"He missed!" Black Zetsu shouted with glee. "The idiot had the ability to bend space itself … and he missed!"

The smoke cleared; Black Zetsu was standing over a figure lying motionless at its feet. It squeezed itself around the middle as it roared with amusement, seemingly unharmed.

 _How?_ Kakashi thought. _Did Guy really miss? Would that even be possible?_

Kakashi's gaze drifted toward the ground. Guy's appearance was similar to what Kakashi had seen before with Noboru: His skin was scorched black, with bright red cracks running over his entire body. Kakashi knew he would crumble to ash in a matter of seconds.

"That blow certainly would have killed me," Black Zetsu taunted. Guy was no longer conscious, but that didn't seem to deter Black Zetsu in the slightest. "The limbo clone that happened to be behind me wasn't so lucky, but those are easily replaceable. At the very least you can go to your grave with a sense of accomplishment that you shattered one of my clones. Bravo!"

 _Clones?_ Kakashi thought. _I couldn't sense any clones. Is he really capable of making them invisible? How can anyone possibly fight that?_

"You look like you're in bad shape," Black Zetsu said mockingly, raising an arm. "But I'm not one to take chances."

One of the Truth-Seeking Orbs shot out from behind it, slicing through the air toward Guy.

"Guy!" Kakashi yelled.

Something sped past Kakashi, deflecting the orb before he even felt the gust of wind blow past him. Black Zetsu leapt back in surprise. Naruto stood defiantly between Guy and Black Zetsu, shooting the creature a menacing glare before crouching down beside Guy.

 _Naruto?_ Kakashi thought in surprise. _He's recovered already? And h_ _ow could he deflect an orb so easily?_

Naruto put a hand to Guy's chest, then pulled it back. Kakashi thought he might be paying his final respects, before he suddenly sensed Guy's chakra again.

 _Did Naruto … heal him?_

"Kakashi-Sensei!"

Kakashi looked over his shoulder as Sakura ran up to him, catching her breath.

"Sakura! What's going on? Naruto seems … different."

"Mmm," Sakura nodded with a smile. "He is — in a way that means he can beat that thing to a pulp!"

"You think so?" Kakashi said, turning his attention back to Naruto. The boy didn't look much different than before, save for his eyes: They were orange, with cross-shaped pupils.

 _If he's figured out a way to use both the Nine-Tails' chakra and sage mode together_ , Kakashi thought, _then he may just have a chance._

"Is Sai alright?" Kakashi asked, peering at Sakura from the corner of his good eye.

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, but he nearly collapsed when he got to us at the medical unit. I don't know how it happened, but somehow Lord Second was sealed in Sai's scroll and Sai took the energy to free him. I tried to tell him off about it, but he wouldn't listen. He'd used so much of his chakra, I was afraid that —"

Sakura was cut short as Black Zetsu started to laugh again. It cackled in glee, its voice growing louder as it gave in to its own merriment.

"I don't see what you have to be so happy about!" Naruto shouted, baring his teeth.

"Shortsighted fools, as always," Black Zetsu spat, calming itself. "Do you think I stopped the Infinite Tsukuyomi just because you were fighting me? I'm capable of doing more than one thing, you know."

Kakashi whipped his head up, noticing that the flower atop the enormous stem was fully open. A pattern like the rinnegan appeared upon the red moon, with nine tomoe circling the center. Naruto leapt forward to strike Black Zetsu with his fist, but Black Zetsu phased through the blow, backing away.

"Killing me won't stop it!" it said. "The genjutsu has been set into motion!"

A fissure formed in the smoke of Black Zetsu's forehead, opening to reveal a red eye with a pattern matching the one on the moon.

"Now, it's time for you to sleep," it said, raising its hand up into the "earth" seal.

Something large crashed next to Black Zetsu, snatching up Naruto and flying toward Kakashi in a blur of purple. If Black Zetsu had been surprised, it didn't show it. It locked eyes with Naruto as the boy was dragged away, the corner of its eyes turning up in a smile.

"Oh yes, I'm very good at doing more than one thing," it said. The Truth-Seeking Orbs about its body formed into spears. Naruto was forcefully dropped to the ground, his view of Black Zetsu diminishing as he was encircled by a dome of swirling, purple chakra. Black Zetsu kept its smiling eyes locked on him as its spears flew toward the ground.

"No!" Naruto shouted, his voice rising in desperation.

There was a sickening chorus of thuds as Black Zetsu vanished from sight. Naruto's eyes widened as he sensed a weak chakra signature snuff out like a candle in the wind.

"Guy-Sensei!" Naruto screamed, slamming his fists against the wall of chakra. "Guy-Sensei! GUY-SENSEI!" Naruto whirled about, his expression feral. "LET ME OUT!"

"Stop it, Naruto!" Sasuke yelled, emerging from the purple chakra. He stepped forward, watching Naruto warily. Naruto pushed him away, his body engulfed in an orange, glowing light as he slammed another fist into the chakra wall.

"Stop it, you idiot!" Sasuke said, grabbing his wrist. "My Susanoo is the only thing keeping us from being affected by the genjutsu. If you go out there, you'll be trapped in it. If either of us go down, it's all over."

This was true, as much as Sasuke hated to admit it. Before Sasuke had been healed and brought back from the brink of death, the Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo, had appeared to him. He found out that the reason behind this was to grant him the ability to defeat the woman (or god?) that Black Zetsu was trying to revive. But as powerful as his new ability was, it was sadly incomplete. Sasuke would need the power Hagoromo had bestowed on Naruto in order to defeat their foe. The Yin Release power in Sasuke's left hand had to be combined with the Yang release power in Naruto's right. Together, they could form a seal strong enough to trap Black Zetsu and that woman. The whole ordeal was becoming far too tedious for Sasuke's taste.

"Guy-Sensei needs my help!" Naruto shouted, a pleading tone escaping within the rage. "I can't leave him out there! He's going to … He's …"

"Naruto," a voice said softly.

Naruto and Sasuke turned to regard Kakashi, who was crouched toward the other end of the dome. Sakura had knelt down beside him, one hand firmly on his shoulder, the other covering her mouth as tears streamed steadily down her cheeks.

The rage etched across Naruto's face faded as he regarded his teacher. Kakashi looked up at him with a tired gaze that made him seem much older than he was. Naruto's throat grew tight as he fought back the tears forming at the edge of his vision.

"Guy had already resigned himself to give his life fighting Black Zetsu," Kakashi said, his voice steady. "His sacrifice gave us time. It seems that Sasuke has a rinnegan now, and it looks like you've gained some new abilities of your own. Don't throw away the chance Guy has given you to defeat Black Zetsu."

"But …" Naruto said, his voice breaking. He closed his eyes, turning away from the group.

"Thank you, Naruto," Kakashi whispered, regarding the boy fondly. "Thank you for trying to save him."

.

* * *

.

If there was ever anything indisputable about Might Guy — other than his complete lack of fashion sense — it was the fact that he had mastered taijutsu. He was the best Konoha had to offer, and possibly the best in all the nations. He had not reached this pinnacle through physical exertion alone — no, mental training was just as important as the grueling physical regimen he put himself through on a daily basis.

Part of this training included learning every form of taijutsu he could find. He used this knowledge not only to mold his own technique, but as a tool to perform in-depth analyses of his opponents. He found that although most shinobi were disciplined in one particular style of taijutsu, all of his foes had little quirks in their forms that they used to shape their fighting styles to fit their own abilities. It was logical that it would be the case, but Guy was among the few who could spot these unique movements and build a profile of his adversary's capabilities on the fly.

It was this special ability that gave Guy some pause as he was a small fraction of a second away from striking Black Zetsu with a kick to the chest. He had caught Black Zetsu by surprise, and in the moment it had to prepare, it had shifted itself into a defensive position.

Guy recognized it.

It had only been a few days prior that he saw that stance as he sparred with an old friend on turtle island. An old friend whom he had failed to protect.

What's more, the coiling, grey ash on Black Zetsu's arms melted slightly from the boiling steam about Guy's body. Amid the grey ash were patches of pale flesh.

Might Guy smiled. He adjusted his aim, his leg instead flying over Black Zetsu's shoulder. There was immense pain as his leg came into contact with _something,_ but Guy didn't let it bother him; he was too happy to be bothered. Despite the odd predicament she had landed herself in, his friend was alive. And he had faith that she and his Eternal Rival would find a way to defeat Black Zetsu.

As he had told Sakura before, Yuiko was a master at getting herself out of sticky situations.


	74. Chapter 74

"Hmm, I think that should do it."

"I wish you sounded a little more confident in this."

Yuiko smiled, reaching out to Obito with her right hand. Her arm was covered in lines of text, converging upon a circle drawn on her palm.

"I'm actually pretty good at this kind of thing, so it'll probably work," she said.

Obito frowned, looking down at the top of his left arm. Yuiko had drawn text there too, converging on a circle drawn on the back of his left hand. She had told him while she worked that if she got it wrong, his chakra might be torn apart, essentially obliterating him.

"But it's been a while since I messed up a seal, so don't worry about it," she had said, dismissing his concerns.

Obito took a deep breath, fighting against every urge he had telling him to back out.

"I'm trusting you," he said, placing his palm on hers.

"Both of us will get to see him again. I promise," she said cheerfully. "You ready?"

Obito nodded, using his right hand to lower his goggles over his eyes.

"Let's do it!" he said, giving her a thumbs-up.

Yuiko closed her eyes, the text nearest to their elbows glowing blue. The light flowed through the text, getting closer and closer to their hands. It reached the circle on Obito's hand, growing brighter and brighter until Obito had to close his eyes. His hand grew transparent, then warped as it shrunk to fit into the circle on Yuiko's palm. His entire body followed, quickly being sucked into the vortex in a blur of orange and blue.

After Obito had disappeared, the light faded. Yuiko opened her eyes, lifting up her palm to study it. The circle mirrored the pattern of Obito's mangekyō sharingan, with three black scythe-like shapes circling the center with a red background. The pattern, along with the text on her arm, disappeared.

Yuiko smiled. She put her hands on her hips, looking up to the grey sky.

"I bet you all were watching that. I hope everyone is ready. I'm sorry I won't be able to take you with me, but I hope everyone knows I'm not going to let that bastard keep you."

Yuiko took a deep breath, standing up straight. She balled her hands into fists, bringing her wrists together, and rotated her arms so the underside of her forearms faced the sky. The "boar" sign was the first one of the sequence, and everything was now hanging on her sheer force of will.

 _You tried to take everything from me … You thought it was fun to play with everything I hold precious. Let's see if you feel the same way when things are reversed._

—

The Susanoo parted its wings, evaporating into the air as Sasuke dismissed it. Everything around them was eerily quiet; Black Zetsu was the only other living creature any of them could sense exuding more than a minimal amount of chakra.

Black Zetsu watched the group warily from where it floated above as they approached. After killing their comrade, Black Zetsu had to put its full attention on the Infinite Tsukuyomi and leave the group to their own devices. It fought back a wave of irritation as it tried to decipher how they had failed to fall under the genjutsu.

The shinobi stopped their approach a few yards away, and Black Zetsu's eyes narrowed as it regarded Naruto. The boy was washed in orange light, and had nine Truth-Seeking Orbs of his own floating around him.

 _So … he somehow gained some of Hagoromo's power. Sasuke must have as well, since it appears his Susanoo was successful in blocking the Infinite Tsukuyomi. I can't afford to waste any time reviving Mother._

"Should we counter the genjutsu like Six-Paths Gramps said?" Naruto asked Sasuke, alarmed at what he was sensing. Like Sasuke had said, everyone Naruto could sense had been put under. And the genjutsu stretched far beyond that, from what he was told.

"He said the 10-Tails' power can counteract it," Sasuke answered. "We have to kill this thing first."

"Too bad you won't have the chance," Black Zetsu mocked, as the group felt an enormous surge of chakra all around them.

Naruto's eyes widened. "What's up with this guy? That chakra is ridiculous!" he shouted.

The ground began to shake, the group scrambling to steady themselves. But suddenly, the trembling faded. They could still feel the chakra around them, flowing beneath the ground like a massive river. However, it no longer seemed to be trying to force its way out.

Black Zetsu floated above them, its hands clenched, and its wrists together at its naval. It appeared to be making the "boar" hand sign.

 _Is this part of it?_ Kakashi thought, confused.

"How … How are you …?" Black Zetsu muttered, as if to itself. Its hands moved haltingly, as if they were operating against Black Zetsu's will. They formed the "tiger" seal, with the hands clasped together and the pointer and middle fingers pointing upward.

" _There's been a change of plans!"_ Yuiko shouted cheerfully in Black Zetsu's subconscious. _"Instead of going forward with whatever you were doing, I'm going to blow us up instead!"_

Black Zetsu's hands moved again, the right hand balling into a fist as the left lay flat atop it to form the "dog" sign.

" _What are you talking about?"_ Black Zetsu shouted back in its mind, struggling to subdue her with its influence. It had been an easy task before, smothering her consciousness. But now its force of will couldn't seem to latch on, like water dribbling down the side of a smooth surface.

" _Look back into my memories about the Inner Beast Fusion Seal. I can wait,"_ Yuiko said smugly.

Black Zetsu filtered through her memories, quickly homing in on the jutsu.

 _It causes the chakra of the Tailed Beasts to clash, creating an explosion. But she couldn't possibly do that now … Not with me controlling her!_

Its hands moved again, its palms placing themselves on top of each other to form the "monkey" sign. A shot of panic ran through Black Zetsu — it was an unfamiliar and unwelcome feeling.

" _You're bluffing!"_ It screamed at her. _"You would kill yourself in the process! You would kill Kokuō!"_

" _Yes,"_ Yuiko said, her voice growing soft, _"I would. But Kokuō is willing to sacrifice itself along with me if it means stopping you. All of the Tailed Beasts … are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save this world they hold dear!"_

The consciousnesses of the Tailed Beasts pushed into Black Zetsu's awareness. They radiated with defiance, their wills blending together with Yuiko's.

Black Zetsu's hands began to move again. Its fingers starting to coil together to create "dragon," the final seal.

Black Zetsu tried again and again to smother their influence, to asphyxiate them using its consciousness to take over theirs. In a state of panic, it acted out of desperation — something that it had never before had to do.

—

Black Zetsu cried out, the mournful wail echoing as if the creature was hollow. Naruto and his group had been watching it intently for the last minute, confused by what seemed to be happening before them. Sasuke had suggested attacking, but Naruto held him back. Naruto could feel the Tailed Beasts' influence emerging from somewhere within Black Zetsu.

"I think … they're fighting him," he had said, watching earnestly.

Suddenly, Black Zetsu erupted, black ink shooting out from its body. A figure emerged from the smoke, rolling in the dirt. Grey earth stuck to the globs of black goo covering the figure, making it hard to tell that it was even human. There was a hacking sound as it coughed up a lump of black goo.

"You!" Black Zetsu screamed, the Truth-Seeking Orbs about it forming into spears. "How dare you try to destroy me! To destroy Mother!"

Naruto gasped. The chakra signature was faint; so faint that he never would have been able to pick it up without his new ability. But he recalled feeling it before, back when he met Kokuō for the first time. "Yuiko!" he shouted, distressed.

"Yuiko?!" Kakashi gasped, staring at the figure on the ground as it struggled to lift itself onto its elbows.

Naruto moved forward, but Sasuke stopped him, placing his hand on his chest. Sasuke disappeared in a flash, a rock clacking to the ground where he had once been. He appeared next to Yuiko, grabbing hold of her and disappearing as the spears crashed into the ground.

He appeared beside them again, handing Yuiko off to Naruto. He frowned in disgust at the black goo clinging to his shirt.

"Sasuke …" Sakura said quietly.

"I had to stop him from doing something idiotic," Sasuke said dismissively, watching Naruto as he knelt over the woman. She seemed to be in poor shape: Her eyes were tightly closed, and when she coughed, black liquid dribbled from the corner of her mouth.

"Yuiko," Naruto said again, cradling her in amazement.

"Na-Naruto?" Yuiko said, raising her hand. She placed it against the side of his head, leaving a black smudge as she shifted it around until she found his cheek.

"You … You're OK," she choked.

"And you're not dead!" he said, happily butting his forehead against hers. He frowned, sensing something off. "You're hurt," he said as he pulled himself back.

"Yeah," Yuiko said hesitantly, pointing to her face. "I think it's what I get for not staying in bed like Sakura told me."

Sakura sighed. _I guess I expected too much,_ she thought. _Although I got so caught up in everything, I completely forgot to mention she was back._

"Here," Naruto said, putting his hand over her eyes as he felt around for her chakra. His eyes narrowed; he was puzzled for a moment by the traces he felt of all of the Tailed Beasts within her.

 _They all worked together to help her live,_ he thought, coming to the realization.

He smiled, their act strengthening his resolve to free them. He pulled his hand back, watching as Yuiko's eyelids twitched. She opened her eyes, looking back at him with the familiar, deep purple hue.

"What — how did you do that?" Sakura said, her eyes wide.

"Uh, well, it's a little hard to explain …" Naruto said, his brow furrowing. "It's like I borrowed from other parts. But not really 'borrowed', just moved around like … eh."

"Amazing, Naruto," Yuiko muttered as she looked around. Her gaze landed on Kakashi, who had stood frozen watching their exchange. She smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling.

"I got a little lost trying to find the river," she said sheepishly.

Kakashi exhaled, remembering how to breathe. He moved toward her, but was thrown off balance as the earth once again began to shake. The earth beneath them broke apart as large streams of chakra erupted from the ground, converging onto Black Zetsu.

"You're trash!" Black Zetsu shouted, its arms opened wide to absorb the chakra. "You were only a vessel required to get me to this point. And now you won't have the joy of being one with a god! You are nothing!"

* * *

A/N: A big Happy Birthday shout-out to the Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja!


	75. Chapter 75

The smoke making up Black Zetsu swirled and contorted, becoming more solid as the creature absorbed chakra.

"This is really bad!" Naruto yelled over the rushing sound of the chakra streams. He had picked Yuiko up when the earth broke apart, and was now helping her to her feet. "This chakra is a lot stronger than the Ten-Tails!"

"Stop it before it finishes taking it all in!" Sasuke replied, disappearing in a flash. Naruto rushed after him, the two converging on the twisting mass that now made up Black Zetsu.

Black Zetsu let out a howling screech, and the two boys came to a stop. Black Zetsu's body continued to ripple, its body falling to all fours in the dirt.

"M-mother!" Black Zetsu screamed, backing away from them. "Where … I can hear you! Mother! Come back!"

The streams of chakra funneling into Black Zetsu stopped, but its form didn't stop shifting. It was about the size of a small house now, and its face grew longer, as if it was growing a snout. Two long objects protruded from the back of its head like ears.

"What's … happening to it?" Sakura whispered. She and Kakashi had made their way over to Yuiko after Naruto and Sasuke had rushed forward. The three of them stood staring at Black Zetsu, dumbfounded.

"I think it needed a host," Kakashi said, his brow furrowing. "Even with all that chakra, it's having trouble keeping a form without something to hold it together."

"Naruto," Sasuke said, glancing at him. Naruto met his gaze and nodded, the two cautiously advancing.

"Don't touch her!" Black Zetsu howled. In the blink of an eye, the scene around the group changed: They were falling through a grey sky, a turbulent green ocean swirling below them. Kakashi coughed as a burning sensation spread through his sinuses. His eyes were stinging, and his skin prickled uncomfortably. A strong, bitter smell filled the air and seemed to be growing heavier the further they fell.

"It's acid!" Sakura choked out, her hands covering the lower half of her face. Kakashi looked about, noting that the ocean stretched to all edges of the horizon. His gaze locked on Black Zetsu, whose form was falling below them.

 _Did it do this? Why bring us here if it has nowhere to go?_

Kakashi squinted his eyes against the rushing wind, staring intently at Black Zetsu. The ocean was starting to get alarmingly close.

"Everyone!" Naruto yelled. He had his hand stretched out to them, his eyes wide in panic. Thick ropes of golden chakra emerged from his back, snaking toward them. They had almost reached his friends when a cry came from below.

Black Zetsu had reached the acid. Its body writhed, sprouting dozens of new tentacle-like limbs, all feebly reaching upward. In less than a second, the scene changed: Snow flew up like dust as they slammed into the ground. The group scrambled to their feet, looking in awe at the frozen mountain range around them. The sky above was a steel blue, and everything was covered in a deep layer of snow. Black Zetsu was nearby, kicking up plumes of it as its limbs thrashed madly. "Help me … Help me! Mother!"

Sasuke stepped forward, sweeping his arm out in front of him. "Chidori!"

Dozens of glowing senbon shot out before him, converging on Black Zetsu. Black Zetsu howled, and the snow around their ankles disappeared. The earth around them now rose and dipped in shades of pink, with hills jutting from the ground to rise up into the bright green sky. The senbon Sasuke had thrown were nowhere to be seen.

"There you are … Mother," Black Zetsu hissed. Dozens of long, grey spikes suddenly protruded from its body, and then shot out, zeroing in on the ninjas. Kakashi's ears were filled with a popping sound as Naruto's clones poofed into existence before them. The clones were skewered by the spears, their bodies crumpling to ash.

"What the hell are those things?" Naruto snarled, planting himself firmly in front of the group.

"They're like the black rods it had before," Sasuke said, his eyes narrowing as more of the ash bones protruded from Black Zetsu. "We need to get around them so we can get close."

"We have to be careful," Naruto said. "We can't leave everyone wide open."

Sasuke didn't respond. Kakashi could tell that his former student didn't share the sentiment. It was hurtful, but part of Kakashi couldn't blame him; they were facing down something that had the power to instantly transport them all to who-knows-where. In fact, they should be considering themselves lucky that Black Zetsu didn't seem to have full control yet. But the creature now appeared to have gained some clarity, along with an attack that killed instantly. It wouldn't be fair to ask Sasuke and Naruto to divide their attention when facing such a deadly opponent.

"Let's fall back," Kakashi said, motioning to Sakura and Yuiko beside him. Sakura clenched her fists, but gave a curt nod. Yuiko didn't respond, staring intently at Black Zetsu. Kakashi figured she was speculating whether she could phase through the grey rods or not. He felt that it wasn't worth the risk to find out.

Black Zetsu's body rippled, letting loose a new torrent of ash bones. Sasuke leapt upward, and Kakashi's vision was filled by a sea of Naruto clones appearing before him. Many of the clones were run through by the spears, freezing in place as the grey ash took over their bodies. Suddenly, the clones disintegrated as another wave of the bones flew through them.

 _It staggered them!_ Kakashi thought, his eyes widening. The three of them leapt away from the spears, but so many were raining down that they were running out of escape routes.

Kakashi tried to create a wall with an earth-style jutsu, but whatever the ground was made of here didn't respond to his attempt at chakra manipulation.

"Sakura, get behind me!" Yuiko yelled. She looked to Kakashi, holding her right hand out to him. Kakashi moved toward her, hoping whatever she had up her sleeve was worth the risk of leaving themselves exposed. He reached her, his fingers intertwining with hers as she pushed her palm to his.

"Watch out!" Naruto shouted.

Kakashi whipped his head around, watching as more of Naruto's clones flew apart as another wave of ash bones whizzed through the air. He sensed Sakura land behind them, and he could feel Yuiko's grip on his hand tighten.

"Release!" Yuiko screamed. Chakra instantly flowed through Kakashi, pumping itself through his veins in a fraction of a second. The sight in his left eye returned, and both of his eyes resonated with the familiar thrum he had when activating his sharingan.

"Kamui!" he yelled, two swirling vortexes forming before them as the ash bones approached. The grey rods disappeared into the dark void. The vortexes shrunk, closing less than a foot away from Yuiko and himself.

Yuiko exhaled, her body drooping in relief. "Thank goodness you catch on quickly," she said, turning her head to smile at him weakly.

 _This chakra …_ Kakashi thought as he looked at her. _It's … Obito. But how?_

"Kakashi-Sensei!" Sakura shouted, bringing him back to his senses. He could see Naruto and Sasuke closing in on Black Zetsu.

"Let's go. Stay behind me," Kakashi said, rushing forward. The three of them advanced, jumping and sliding around the ash bones lodged in the ground. Kakashi watched as Naruto and Sasuke circled Black Zetsu, the creature's body rippling like jelly as it pulled itself away when they tried to make contact. It spat the ash bones at them as it retreated; Kakashi found pleasure in the fact that it was starting to look cornered.

 _I can use my kamui to keep it in place and erase the threat from those rods. They should be able to make contact then._

"Kamui!" Kakashi yelled, a large vortex forming under Black Zetsu. The creature cried out, straining itself against the vortex's pull. Naruto and Sasuke leapt forward with their hands outstretched toward Black Zetsu. Five arms suddenly sprouted from its back, reaching into pitch-black windows that appeared in the air.

Black Zetsu began to laugh.

 _Shit,_ Kakashi thought.

Something pulled at his collar, and everything around him changed. He was thrown to his knees; something heavy pushing down on him. He laboriously lifted his head and discovered that he wasn't being pushed, but pulled down by the heavy gravity of this new environment. The ground was made up of pointy, green grooves that pierced his flesh as he struggled to stand. He was able to bring himself to his feet, panic rising in his chest at what he saw — or, more accurately, what he didn't see.

In this world, he was completely alone.

—

Surprise flashed through Yuiko when she once again found herself falling through the air. She fell through a clump of grey clouds, lamenting that she was back where the acid ocean was. But as she cleared the clouds, she discovered that wasn't the case.

The air here still burned her throat and eyes, only now with heat: Everything below her was boiling lava and grey smoke rising in plumes into the black sky. Yuiko's mind raced, her heart beating faster as the lava drew closer. She only had blank scrolls left, and a handful of exploding tags. She could phase through the lava, but with no land in sight there was no way she could hold out long enough to find somewhere safe before her chakra ran out. Her breathing grew shallow, terror grabbing at her as her skin burned.

 _There has to be a way, there has to be a way …_

Red, yellow, and black filled her vision. She grit her teeth, bracing herself to activate her phase at the last second as she stared ahead. But something hit her hard, pulling her to the side.

Yuiko looked down to see that her torso was encased in translucent, purple chakra. The lava below was now a blur as she flew over it. She whipped her head around, looking in awe as she discovered that she was held in the grip of a massive Susanoo.


	76. Chapter 76

Minato appeared in a flash, his left hand wrapped around the hilt of his kunai, which had been stuck firmly in the dirt. He pulled it out, straightening himself to take in the scene around him. The massive branches of the Divine Tree twisted above him, the familiar humanoid shapes of those trapped within hanging everywhere he looked.

It was the same scene as the one in Konoha, where he had teleported before while fighting Black Zetsu. His plan to take a few of the orbs out of the creature's control had been a success, since they had gone dormant until they evaporated soon afterwards. However, it was then that the Infinite Tsukuyomi activated, casting everyone in Konoha under the genjutsu. Minato had tried helplessly to free those within, but the victims wouldn't regain consciousness, and they were quickly wrapped up within the branches no matter how many times he tore them out.

He took off toward the trunk of the tree, hoping to come across any shinobi who had somehow fought off the genjutsu's influence. He spotted a small group standing at the base of the trunk, the three figures looking back at him as he approached. He recognized the other reanimated Hokage, who looked as worn out as himself.

"Oh, so you were also unaffected," Tobirama said as he joined them.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Minato said. "I had to return to Konoha for a short time. The scene there is no better than here, I'm afraid."

"That's unfortunate," Hashirama said, lowering his head. "It seems that we and Madara are the only ones unaffected."

"Madara? Was he the one who activated the genjutsu?" Minato asked.

"No," the first Hokage said, shaking his head. "The black rods disappeared, as they did for all of us, but he's still under my seal. I wasn't able to get him to talk about what's happening."

"Maybe we'll have better luck when he's done sulking," Tobirama said dryly.

Hashirama glared at him, and Tobirama ignored the look to bring his attention back to Minato.

"Hiruzen here," Tobirama said, gesturing his head at the third Hokage, "was telling us what he saw before he met up with us. Perhaps you should start over, for Lord Fourth's benefit."

The third Hokage nodded, solemnly turning to Minato.

"After the dead were brought back to life," the old man said, "I convened with the other Kage, who all agreed to pull their forces back for the time being. Madara was the only threat left, but almost everyone was fighting exhaustion, and those who weren't were needed to treat the wounded. I helped where I could, but then the Infinite Tsukuyomi activated. After the genjutsu took hold of everyone, I felt an unimaginably large surge of chakra. I ran toward it, hoping to get a better idea of what was happening. The surge suddenly ceased, and when I breached the ridge behind you, I saw a strange smoke creature floating above Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi."

"That sounds like Black Zetsu," Minato interjected.

"Really?" the third Hokage said, surprised. He furrowed his brow in thought. "Yes … actually, that makes sense, considering what happened next. Black Zetsu suddenly split apart, Yuiko Uzumaki being thrown out of it."

"Yuiko?!" Minato gasped. The young girl's face flashed before him, smiling shyly up at him with her large, violet eyes. He had been so wrapped up in fighting alongside Naruto, her whereabouts never even crossed his mind. He frowned, feeling guilty that he hadn't thought to check up on her.

"Wait," he said, looking up at the third Hokage in shock. "So she was inside him? Was she in there when I was fighting him?"

The third Hokage frowned, knowing where this was going. "I think so," he said slowly. "I lost track of her when she went alone after Black Zetsu, back before those who died here came back to life. Minato —"

Minato had dropped his kunai, bringing his hand up to cover his face. "We … we almost … I used the rasengan, I could have —"

The third Hokage clapped his hand firmly on Minato's shoulder. "She was alive," he said, watching Minato sternly as the fourth Hokage raised his eyes from behind his fingers.

"I think she was injured, since she couldn't move well, but she was certainly alive. After that, something happened that is a little hard to explain. Black Zetsu started absorbing massive amounts of chakra, but something seemed off; then all I did was blink, and they were gone. I watched the area, waiting for any them to reappear, but they never did."

The old man fell silent, the group trying to absorb the information.

"So we have no clues as to where they could be," Tobirama said, resting his hand on his chin in thought.

"I'm afraid not," the third Hokage said, downtrodden.

Minato bent over, picking up his kunai. He turned over the hilt, staring at the Flying Raijin Jutsu mark etched upon it. He squeezed the hilt, causing the leather to crinkle.

"I've got something to do. I'll be back soon," he said, putting the kunai into his belt. He disappeared in a flash.

—

Sasuke and Yuiko flew in silence for some time before they were able to find land. He set her down gently, Yuiko funneling chakra into her feet to keep her shoes from burning. They were on a large island of flat, blackened rock floating atop the lava. The island actually appeared to be moving, chunks of it falling off at the edges as it drifted onward.

"Do you know where we are?" Sasuke asked, dismissing his Susanoo. "Do you know how to get back?"

"N-No," Yuiko said, trying not to stare at him. It was the first time she had been able to take a good look at Sasuke Uchiha since Mikoto had let her hold him when he was a baby. He looked so much like his mother that it made her heart hurt.

"You were inside Black Zetsu," he said frankly. Yuiko looked at him warily, unsure of what he was looking for.

"Why were you there?" he asked.

"It … It needed a host, I think. Someone to become the 10-Tails. I think that's why it was having trouble controlling itself before," she said, shrinking from his gaze. No one had looked at her with that much contempt since she was a child. "It just … It just took me. I wasn't working with it."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I see. You just let it take over," he said, turning from her. Yuiko's gaze snapped up, her eyes burrowing into the back of his head.

"I never …" she said, her voice shaking. "I never _let_ it do that to me! It broke me; it made me try to kill people who I care about."

Sasuke turned slightly, studying her. He looked away, walking toward the other end of the island. Yuiko watched him for a moment, hesitantly stepping forward to follow him.

They stayed like that for a while, walking in slow circles around the island. Yuiko realized Sasuke was probably doing it to conserve chakra, since sitting or lying down would use up more energy to keep his clothes from burning as opposed to simply concentrating on his shoes. Truthfully, Yuiko also wanted to stick close just in case Sasuke decided to fly off. The result might be her begging him to take her along, but she didn't mind losing her dignity if it meant she wouldn't die alone in a pool of lava.

It was hard to say how much time had passed, but as the adrenaline wore down Yuiko felt that it was reasonable to take out her rations. She pulled her water canteen from her side pouch, hesitating as she reached to open it. She put her arms down, jogging to catch up to Sasuke. Slowing her pace, she matched his stride.

"Please have this," she said, holding the canteen out to him. Sasuke continued to walk, looking forward. Yuiko frowned, guilt churning in her stomach.

"You saved me back there when you didn't have to. You were also the one who grabbed me when Black Zetsu tried to kill me, right?"

"I didn't do it for your benefit," Sasuke said, disinterested.

Yuiko nodded, as if his dismissal made perfect sense. "It doesn't matter. You did it for Naruto. That's good enough for me."

They walked in silence for a few paces before Sasuke reached up to take the canteen. He opened it, taking a drink before handing it back to her. Yuiko closed it, putting it back in her pouch. They walked together in silence, making two more passes around the island before Sasuke spoke.

"I'm going to activate my Susanoo and fly in one direction. If I come across a larger chunk of land, I'll come back and get you."

Sasuke stopped, looking out over the horizon.

Yuiko studied him, crossing her arms. "I don't think that's the truth."

"Take it as you will," Sasuke said passively. He took a few steps from her, purple chakra surging up to encase his body.

"You'll really come back?" Yuiko said, watching his body float upward as the Susanoo formed.

"You have the canteen, don't you?" he said, the wings on the Susanoo spreading wide.

 _Oh, so now he has jokes,_ Yuiko thought with a sigh. It was apparent that pushing him on the matter wouldn't get her anywhere; she was just going to have to have faith that he was going to trouble himself to save her again. The dependency was frustrating, but her skill set didn't leave her a lot of options in this situation.

 _If we get out of this, maybe someday I can return the favor,_ she thought.

Something suddenly bumped into her back. She still had her eyes on Sasuke, who stared behind her in shock. Yuiko whirled around, looking up into the eyes of Minato Namikaze.

.

* * *

.

"Here you go!" Minato chirped, placing a steaming bowl of rice before Yuiko. The girl kept her eyes lowered, only giving a slight nod of acknowledgement. She picked up one of the eggs Minato had set out, cracking it over the rice. Minato studied her with a worried expression from across the table. It had been a while since he saw Yuiko acting so aloof. Normally, Kushina would be here to shake (sometimes literally) information out of Yuiko when she was acting this way, but his wife was currently on a mission and not due back until that evening. Minato cleared his throat, catching Yuiko's attention.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked pleasantly. Yuiko nodded, returning her eyes to her breakfast. She was still mixing the egg into the rice even though it was obviously fully incorporated. She continued to stir it absentmindedly without taking a bite. Minato frowned. "Is everything alright?"

Yuiko looked up at him sheepishly. She nodded vigorously before breaking eye contact. Minato took a few bites of his own breakfast, watching her closely. Yuiko was shoveling the food into her mouth now, likely as a ploy to leave the table as soon as possible. He watched her anxiously as she washed down the rice with tea and stood from the table.

"Wait," he said.

Yuiko's shoulders stiffened. She stared at her feet, gripping the bowl in one hand and her cup in the other. "Sit down, please," Minato said gently.

Yuiko hesitated. She placed her dishes back on the table and slid into her seat. Minato put his bowl aside, resting his hands on the table. "If there's something bothering you, Yuiko, I would like to help," he said. "How about we talk about it?"

Yuiko stared at the table, unmoving. Minato waited patiently. Yuiko mumbled something inaudible, and Minato asked her to speak up. "It's nothing," she said softly.

"Yuiko," Minato urged gently. Yuiko raised her eyes, squirming in her seat.

"We've told you, you can come to us with anything that's bothering you, remember?" Minato said. "You don't have to tackle your problems alone."

Yuiko looked back at him nervously. "Don't be mad," she said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Minato frowned. Yuiko looked away.

"I don't … want to go today. I'm sorry," she whispered. Minato blinked, perplexed.

"You don't want to go? You mean go outside?"

Yuiko nodded. Minato scratched the side of his face. "You don't have to be sorry for that. Why don't you want to go out?"

Yuiko shrunk in her chair, keeping her eyes fixed somewhere near the front door. "They said … I shouldn't be here."

Minato's eyes narrowed. His chair creaked slightly as he straightened his back. "Someone told you that you shouldn't be here?"

Yuiko nodded, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. Minato's hands twitched. Something ugly had sprouted in his chest, and he did his best to force it back down. "What else did they say to you?"

Yuiko's lip quivered. "That I'll never be one of you. And I'm not good enough."

Minato slowly rose to his feet. Yuiko looked back at him then, her eyes growing wide from the stern expression on his face. "Did they try to hurt you?" he asked, fighting to keep his voice steady.

Yuiko blinked back her tears and nodded. Minato balled his hands into fists. The ugly thing in chest continued to grow, threatening to swallow him whole.

Yuiko cowered in her seat. Minato fought to restrain himself; no matter what, he was the Hokage, and had to act as such.

"What is their name?" He asked sternly. Yuiko dropped her gaze.

"I don't want to get them in trouble," she whispered.

"Yuiko."

The girl flinched. She slowly raised her eyes to meet Minato's. Her face scrunched up as she held back tears.

"Kakashi-Sensei."

The two stared at each other. Minato became acutely aware of the ticking of the clock in the hallway as the seconds passed.

"Kakashi said those things to you?"

"Yes."

Minato deflated, sliding back into his seat. "Tell me _exactly_ what he said to you," he said, his rage dissipating.

Yuiko scrunched up her eyebrows, looking down at the table. "He said during sparring that I wasn't using the new blocking technique he taught me. He said if I wasn't willing to put the effort in, then I shouldn't be there."

Minato put his elbow on the table, placing his palm over his eyes. "What was the rest of it?"

"He said if I wasn't going to push myself, then I'll never make jōnin and be one of you," Yuiko continued. "Later, he said I depend too much on phasing in close combat, and that isn't good enough."

Minato raised his head, regarding her with a tired expression. "And when he tried to hurt you, it was during sparring?"

Yuiko nodded. Minato put his head back into his hand, massaging his temples. Yuiko watched him curiously.

"So you didn't want to leave today because Kakashi is giving you a hard time in training," Minato finally said. He didn't hear a response, but he made an educated guess that Yuiko was nodding in agreement. He lowered his hand with a sigh.

"I miss training with you," Yuiko blurted out. Minato raised his eyebrows as he looked back at her in surprise.

"You're a lot nicer than Kakashi-Sensei!" Yuiko continued. "Please go back to training me! I don't want to train with him anymore!"

The level of restraint Minato had mustered to contain his rage from before was nothing compared with what he needed now to keep himself from laughing. He turned in his chair, placing his hand over his mouth. To Yuiko it looked like he was contemplating her request, but in reality he was fighting to push down the smile stuck on his face. When he finally got a hold of himself, he turned back to the girl. Yuiko watched him with a hopeful expression.

"I'll … have a chat with Kakashi about his behavior," Minato said slowly. "It sounds like he's only focusing on the negative aspects of your abilities. I'm sure there's plenty you're doing right, so don't get discouraged."

Yuiko's hopeful expression drained away when it was clear that Minato wasn't going to tell her what she wanted to hear. Minato leaned across the table to ruffle her hair. "Kakashi is learning, just like you. He's very talented, but he's also new to teaching. The two of you will improve together, I promise."

Yuiko nodded glumly. Minato rose from his seat and collected their dishes. He stepped toward the kitchen, pausing to smile at Yuiko over her shoulder. "I'm glad that you talked to me about it. I hope you feel a little better, at least."

Yuiko gave a weak shrug. Minato smiled broadly. "You know, we haven't had a fūinjutsu lesson in a while. How about we go back to doing that once a week? You can also complain about Kakashi as much as you want; no judgment."

Yuiko's face lit up. Minato chuckled, making his way into the kitchen. Just as he was turning on the water to the sink, he felt a pair of arms circle about his waist. Yuiko gave him a brief hug before quickly pulling away. He turned his head to watch the girl walk purposefully down the hall toward her room, presumably to grab her gear. He smiled, returning his attention to the dishes. Fostering Yuiko had certainly been different than what he was expecting, but the warm feeling growing in his chest conveyed that it was far from bad.

.

* * *

.

Yuiko stared at Minato, speechless. The whites of his eyes now being an inky black were a clear indicator that he was really there, and not some sort of heat-induced hallucination.

Minato smiled, placing his hand on top of her head to ruffle her hair. "It's nice to see you, Yuiko," he said cheerfully. "You started wearing your hair down, I see. It's a good look for you!" Minato lowered his hand from her head, watching her with a content smile.

Yuiko lowered her head, placing her hand atop her hair where his had been. It began to shake. Minato's cheerful expression drained away as he watched her.

"You lied," Yuiko whispered. Minato didn't speak, watching Yuiko warily as she lifted her head. His heart nearly broke from the pained expression on her face.

"You said I could choose my own path," she said, her voice shaking. "I had made my choice; I was going to die to save you. But you had Jiraiya stop me. You made my choice for me!"

She brought her hands to her face, ducking her head down as she struggled to keep her composure. Seeing Minato again was like flicking a switch. Everything Yuiko had held inside for over a decade started to tumble out.

"You picked me," she said, barely audible. "You saved me over yourself. Why?" She looked up, lowering her hands to reveal her wounded expression. "Why me? Why did you want me to live with the pain? The guilt? Life would have been so much easier for Naruto if you had just let me go."

Minato exhaled softly, looking at her tenderly. "Naruto wasn't the only one I wanted to protect, you know."

Yuiko frowned, opening her mouth. Minato held up his hand. "Protecting the village — protecting my family — is what it means to be Hokage. I'm sorry for what I made you live through, but I wanted you to live. I didn't want your path to end; I wanted you to keep making choices, good or bad, and to keep moving forward. And you meant … a lot to me. To the both of us." He smiled, putting his hand on her head again. "And I knew I could trust you to help him grow — to teach my son how to work hard and hold on to the people he loves. You helped him to become what he is today."

Guilt flashed over Yuiko's face as she ducked her head down. "I — I didn't —"

"You did your best," Minato said. "And I hope, at least, that the path you chose wasn't all bad."

Yuiko continued to stare at her feet as Minato withdrew his hand. She schooled her features, and looked up to meet his gaze. A smile grew on her lips as she held it. It was a small gesture, but Minato was suddenly hit with the same feeling he had when he saw Kakashi and Guy again; Yuiko had grown up. And if the smile on her face meant anything, she had done more than simply survive.

"Naruto tried to cook me something once," Yuiko said, her smile widening.

"And?"

"It was terrible."

Minato laughed. "And you ate it?"

"All of it," Yuiko said, using the back of her arm to wipe lingering tears from her cheeks. "But his face — he was so proud! I couldn't bring myself to say anything other than 'it's delicious!' I nearly had to go to the hospital afterwards."

Minato laughed. "Too bad he didn't inherit his mother's talent," he said, scratching the side of his face. "Kushina was always —"

Sasuke loudly cleared his throat. He had been surprised, and a little confused, by the exchange he'd just witnessed. He had dismissed his Susanoo and waited, but his patience was starting to grow thin. "How did you find us here?" he asked, walking up to Minato.

"Oh," Minato said, suddenly embarrassed. "I, well — I put a teleportation marker on Yuiko."

"Huh?" Yuiko said. "How did you do that? This is the first time I've seen you since the war started."

"Well," Minato said. "It was back before I died. During one of the training sessions. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Yuiko frowned. Minato would had to have been especially sneaky about it, for him to put a seal on her without her knowing. "But, why?" she asked.

Minato sighed. "I had two students before you came to the village: Obito and Rin. Well, I suppose you know who Obito is now … Anyway, when I thought they had died, all I could think about was how I could have done more. That if maybe I had marked them with the Flying Raijin Jutsu, then I would have been able to get to them in time. And as Kushina's due date got closer, I decided to put a marker on you, just in case Jiraiya wasn't able to keep you away. That way I could stop you from performing the Inner Beast Fusion Seal if I had to. I just … didn't want to lose someone else I had put under my charge."

"You're falling apart," Sasuke said.

"Maybe a little bit, at the time," Minato said, bashfully.

"No," Sasuke said, raising his finger to point at him, "bits of you are coming off."

Minato looked down, noticing that the ashes making up his body were starting to float away. The damage was small, but the outer edges of his body looked fuzzy as the ashes broke free.

"What is that?" Yuiko asked, alarmed.

"It's probably the reanimation jutsu," Sasuke said. "I think it works by pulling chakra in from the world around us. But this place … it belongs to this person — Kaguya — that Black Zetsu keeps calling its mother. I don't think it works the same as where we're from."

"It did feel different when I came here," Minato said, narrowing his eyes. "I was here in a second, but for some reason the trip just felt … longer."

"We need to get out of here," Sasuke said, stepping closer to him. "Can you get us back to Naruto?"

Minato met his gaze, and nodded. "I put another Flying Raijin seal on him when I transferred the Nine-Tails. I think I can get you two there."

Yuiko smiled as Minato placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. He motioned for Yuiko to come closer, and she clutched his jacket in her hand.

"Alright," Minato said, "I'm not sure what situation Naruto's going to be in right now, so you two be careful."

Yuiko and Sasuke nodded. The group was gone in a flash.


	77. Chapter 77

"Is it still over there?"

Naruto peeked up over the ridge of the sand dune, and then pulled himself back down. "Yeah, he's pretty far away; he just looks like a big blob on the horizon."

"Okay," Sakura said, nodding. "We need a plan. We can assume that it knows we're here, but it's just waiting for us to make a move. If we can overpower it, maybe we can force it to bring everyone back."

Naruto nodded, although a little uneasily. He and Sakura had been transported to a large desert — albeit a hundred or so feet up in the air when it happened. It was a pleasant surprise when Naruto discovered that flight was among his arsenal of new abilities; catching Sakura and slowing their descent as they landed on a large dune. Naruto was immediately able to sense that Black Zetsu was in the area, and they cautiously approached until it was just visible.

Naruto squirmed, looking at Sakura. He knew that she wanted to help, but her getting close to Black Zetsu made him incredibly nervous. She wasn't as fast as Sasuke, and the thought of Black Zetsu using the ash bones on her at close range was terrifying. She would need his protection, but he was unsure if the shadow clones would be enough. Black Zetsu had already been able to break through that defense before, and Kakashi-Sensei wasn't around to use his kamui. No, Sakura would need something else — something that the ash bones couldn't get through. But there wasn't something like that, was there? Maybe …

"Are you even listening?" Sakura said.

"Uh, yeah!" Naruto said with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "You were talking about … uh …"

"About the problem of me not being able to get too close to Black Zetsu."

"Uh, yeah. Wait — you think that too?"

"Of course I do! I'm not an idiot! We just need to work together and think of a solid strategy. If I'm able to hit that thing, I think you can immobilize it. We just need to figure out a way to get me that close."

"Okay," Naruto said with a nod. "I was actually thinking that maybe —"

A vortex opened up a few yards behind Sakura. She wheeled about, the two of them staring in amazement as Kakashi fell out of it.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" they yelled. They ran over to him, Sakura kneeling down to help him up.

"Whoa … That was like that thing Obito could do," Naruto said in awe. "That's so cool! When did you learn how to do that?"

"Just now," Kakashi said, a little shaken. "I'm not too keen on trying it again; it was sort of a last-ditch effort. I actually ended up in that poisonous ocean place the first time, but I was able to open up another vortex before hitting the liquid."

"Geez, you got the short end of the stick," Naruto said, scratching the side of his face. "This place isn't too bad, other than being kinda hot. I hope Sasuke and Yuiko ended up somewhere OK."

"They're not with you?" Kakashi asked, his eyes widening.

"No," Sakura said, dropping her eyes as she shook her head. "We were going to try to fight Black Zetsu and see if we can make it bring them back."

"I see," Kakashi said. He lowered his eyes in thought. "I can try the kamui again, but I'm nowhere near as good at the teleportation aspect as Obito was. If you can siphon me some chakra, I might be able to hold out long enough to find them. What's our situation with Black Zetsu?"

"He's just standing there," Naruto said, peeking over the dune again. He grimaced, dropping his head back down. "Actually, he's getting closer. He probably got tired of waiting for Sakura and me to make a move."

"Alright," Kakashi said, clasping his hands together. "Sakura, I need you to give me chakra, I'm going to try to open up a vortex and find them. Naruto, hold that thing off until I get everyone back. Then we'll regroup."

"Understood!" Sakura said, putting her hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

"You got it!" Naruto said, levitating into the air. Suddenly, however, something large appeared on Naruto's back, its weight pushing him down face-first into the sand.

"Oops! Sorry about that," Minato said sheepishly, doing his best to help his son up as Sasuke and Yuiko rose to their feet.

"Sensei?!" Kakashi said, dumbfounded.

"Sasuke! Yuiko!" Sakura said, relief washing over her face. "You're alright!"

Sasuke nodded in slight acknowledgment as his eyes swept over the group. Yuiko gave a somewhat friendlier reaction by returning Sakura's smile.

Kakashi blocked Yuiko's view of Sakura as he approached and stopped before her. He didn't say anything, instead flexing the fingers at his side in an uncharacteristically nervous fashion. It struck Yuiko that this was the first time he was seeing her alive without the two of them being actively under assault. She gave him a reassuring smile as she reached up to cup his cheek. The stiffness in Kakashi's shoulders relaxed as his eyes conveyed his relief.

"Oh."

Yuiko dropped her hand as she and Kakashi turned to acknowledge Minato. He stiffened, his eyes widening in embarrassment. "Err, I mean," Minato coughed, regaining his composure. "Alright!" he said, sounding much more like the Hokage that he was. "Everyone hang on to me and I'll take us back."

"Wait a minute!" Naruto said, brushing himself off. "What about Black Zetsu?"

"It's here?" Sasuke said, looking about. His eyes narrowed as he looked over the edge of the dune. "If it's here, we should kill it now."

"It might be safer to face it back on our territory," Minato said sternly. "The other Hokages and I were unaffected by the genjutsu."

Kakashi nodded. "It would be nice to have backup," he agreed. He narrowed his eyes in thought as he mulled the information over. "But the longer we wait, the more time it has to get a grip on its abilities. The more I think about it — the more I agree that we should take Sasuke's suggestion and act now."

"I got it!" Naruto said excitedly. "Just go get the other Hokages and come back here!"

Minato shook his head, "Unfortunately, my body can't sustain itself here, from the looks of it." More flakes were flying from him now, at a faster rate than before. "I'm not sure if my body will hold out if I try to come back, either. I think it would be the same for the others."

Minato looked at each of their faces, a smile growing on his lips. "Between all of you, I trust you can handle it. I'll be there to welcome you home."

Naruto looked a bit put out, but his expression brightened as his father gave him an approving nod. "You can count on us!" he said, giving an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

Minato smiled, ruffling his son's hair before disappearing in a flicker.

"Sasuke, how much time do we have?" Kakashi asked.

"It's picked up the pace," Sasuke said, looking over the dune. "Black Zetsu probably felt it when I arrived. Maybe a minute."

"Kakashi-Sensei," Naruto said excitedly. "I thought of something that could help us against the grey bone things. I'm not _totally_ sure it'll work, but it might!"

"Let's hear it," Kakashi said, amused. "You are our most unpredictable ninja, after all."

—

 _He's come back. What? No, I don't know how. I wanted to take the girl hostage and use her as bait to lure Naruto in. But it feels like they're all here somehow. No matter; once I get close enough I'll just split them apart again. Huh? Don't worry, Mother; I'll make it quick._

Black Zetsu skidded to a stop. Five figures leapt up from behind a dune, running toward it. Naruto and Sasuke flanked their companions as they approached in a straight line. Black Zetsu watched them, calculating. It recalled how they had fought before, quickly pulling up a counter.

Three arms shot out of Black Zetsu, targeting Kakashi, Yuiko, and Sakura. Naruto cried out, heading toward them.

"Naruto!" Sasuke shouted, following.

 _Just like before when he reacted to the others being in danger,_ Black Zetsu thought. _Too easy._

The hands suddenly changed course, directed at Naruto and Sasuke. Ash Bones protruded from their palms, letting loose. An ash bone stabbed Naruto in the stomach, Sasuke taking one to the shoulder. The two boys came to a halt, falling to their knees.

"Naruto! Sasuke!" Sakura yelled. Black Zetsu's hands changed course again, taking on a slimy consistency when they reached the rest of the group. It swallowed the three remaining shinobi whole, dragging their bodies into its torso.

 _The young girl and Kakashi have plenty of chakra to absorb. We can use one of them as a vessel for now. They aren't worthy of you, Mother, but we can find you something better when we return to the nursery. Oh, the woman? No, I'm going to kill her now. She insulted you, Mother. She lost her privilege to be a part of your new world._

Black Zetsu's eyes darted to the side as it picked up movement. Naruto and Sasuke stood up, smirks growing on their faces.

 _What?! How are they not —?_

Black Zetsu watched Naruto and Sasuke raise their hands in the "earth" symbol. Their bodies were enveloped in smoke, which cleared to reveal Yuiko and Kakashi, their entire bodies up to their necks covered in a pitch-black substance. The Truth-Seeking Orbs melted off of their bodies as they re-shaped themselves into spheres.

 _No — their chakra signatures. I could feel that they were nearby. Then where …?_

Black Zetsu froze, but not by choice. A burning sensation moved through its body, causing its mother to let out a heartbreaking scream. It could feel her consciousness slipping away, attempting to drag Black Zetsu down with it.

Black Zetsu cried out as a terrible ripping sensation ran through its body. It nearly tore in two as a pitch-black figure burst from its back. Two other figures followed, all three landing gracefully in front of Black Zetsu. The Truth-Seeking Orb's pulled away to reveal Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura.

Black Zetsu tried to back away, panicking as the last of its mother's consciousness slipped away.

"Mother!" it howled. The sand around it starting to float up as it gravitated towards its body. Black Zetsu rose into the air, its body attempting to rip itself apart as the Tailed Beasts struggled. It let out one last cry of desperation as its vision was clouded in sand.


	78. Chapter 78

"Keep going!" Kakashi yelled. The group continued to leap backwards, focusing on the growing orb of sand encasing Black Zetsu. The ground in front of them was being sucked in, and they had to keep retreating to avoid the pull.

"Where are they?" Naruto yelled. He gritted his teeth, watching the orb floating above them. Naruto had dismissed his sage mode, thinking the fight was finally over. He had thought that activating the Chibaku Tensei and defeating Black Zetsu meant the Tailed Beasts would be set free. But he grew panicked as that didn't seem to be the case.

"I'm going to check it out!" Naruto yelled over the sound of rushing sand. He changed course, leaping forward among the clumps of earth.

"I'll go," Yuiko said as she saw Kakashi move after him. "I can phase through the sand if I need to."

Yuiko followed Naruto, watching as he approached the orb. Naruto suddenly clutched his right arm; Yuiko quickened her pace, putting her hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Naruto! Are you alright?" she said, guiding him away from the orb's pull.

"Y-yeah," Naruto said, pulling his left hand away from his arm. Something had nicked it, leaving a shallow slash along his bicep. "It didn't really hurt — just surprised me."

The two of them reached solid ground away from the orb, the others quickly joining them.

"What happened?" Kakashi asked, eyeing them warily.

"Dunno," Naruto said, noting that the bleeding from the cut had already stopped. "When I got close, something small flew out at me. I wasn't able to find it through all the sand."

"Hey!" Sasuke shouted.

They all looked up, following Sasuke's gaze toward another area outside the orb's range a few yards away. A web-like pattern of text was on the ground, with something small at its center.

"It's a rinnegan," Sasuke said, his eyes narrowing.

"What?" Kakashi said, his voice rising.

"It's just an eye," Sasuke continued, sounding puzzled. "That text … but how?"

"A summon," Yuiko said. "A summoning jutsu needs blood to activate."

They turned to look at Naruto.

"But, wait, no way!" Naruto said, his eyes growing wide. "What would it be summoning?"

The summoning seal was consumed in a plume of smoke. The slight tremble in the ground that had been going on since the Chibaku Tensei had been activated ceased. Cracks appeared on the sand orb before the entire thing fell apart, crashing to the ground. Yuiko phased through the resulting blast of sand while the others shielded their eyes.

When the sand cleared, they could make out a pitch-black figure standing where the summoning seal had been.

Black Zetsu's form was humanoid again, although Yuiko guessed it now stood around 10 feet tall. Its back was slightly hunched, its long arms hanging down so its knuckles nearly brushed the sand. It still had both rinnegans, although the red eye that had previously been between them was gone. Two small horns protruded from its head, and nine Truth-Seeking Orbs floated about it.

"It looks like it was able to keep a hold of the Tailed Beasts," Sasuke said darkly.

"So what do we do now?" Naruto said. "Six Paths Gramps said that seal we used would work to stop it."

"He said it would work against Kaguya," Sasuke replied. "I don't think that thing ever fully became her."

Sasuke grunted, his eyes darting back and forth.

"Get back!" he shouted, drawing his sword.

"Huh? What is it?" Naruto said, activating his Six-Paths mode in a flash of light. Black Zetsu remained motionless, peering in their direction.

"Clones!" Sasuke shouted. "There are four coming!"

Kakashi's eyes widened, recalling the invisible clones Black Zetsu mentioned to Guy.

"Go!" Kakashi shouted, leaping back. The others followed suit, the sand around them exploding in impact as they leapt away. Naruto couldn't see the clones, but he could sense the four figures around Sasuke. He flew downward, sending one of them flying across the sand with a blow from his shoulder. Yuiko, Kakashi, and Sakura stood a few feet away, trying to piece together what was happening.

"Can you see them, Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura asked.

"No," Kakashi said, shaking his head. "I can't even sense them. I think we'll have to leave this to Naruto and Sasuke; we can be useful elsewhere."

The group gave Naruto and Sasuke a wide berth, circling around toward Black Zetsu. The creature remained motionless as they approached, its eyes still fixated on Naruto and Sasuke.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, readying himself. "Kam—"

The Truth-Seeking Orbs around Black Zetsu flew in their direction, sending clouds of sand into the air as the group narrowly dodged the attack. The orbs darted erratically around them, leaving no room for a counter as they whizzed past.

"Yuiko — Black Zetsu!" Kakashi shouted as he twisted through the air.

Yuiko crouched, steam shooting from her feet as she launched herself at Black Zetsu. The orbs froze momentarily before following her. She was fast, but not as fast as she used to be when she had more of Kokuō's chakra at her disposal. The orbs would be on her long before she could reach her target.

"Kamui!" Kakashi shouted. A vortex appeared before Yuiko, who turned about as she flung herself into it. She looked up at Kakashi, activating her Dōjutsu Seal as her body moved through the vortex. The orbs followed, but unlike Yuiko, they didn't reappear on the other side. Yuiko flipped around as the vortex disappeared, advancing on Black Zetsu. It turned its head slightly in her direction before vanishing.

Yuiko skidded to a halt, then launched into the air as something smashed against her jaw. She landed hard in the sand, her eyes trying to focus on what hit her. Kakashi and Sakura were at her side, Kakashi craning his neck about.

"Naruto!"

Sasuke's voice caught their attention, and they looked back to see Black Zetsu was now engaging the two of them in combat.

 _It moved so fast I couldn't see it,_ Kakashi thought. _No, wait — something else is here now. Is it able to switch with its clones?_

Sakura let out a yelp, doubling over as she was pushed back. She quickly put her arms out, grabbing onto something in front of her. She cried out, her arms shaking as she tried to force her hands together. Kakashi heard a crack as Sakura's hands got closer, before something hit her hard across the face. Sakura staggered, losing her grip on the clone.

Yuiko got to her feet, spitting out some of the blood that was pooling in her mouth. The three of them put their backs together, looking about warily. Yuiko figured their best bet was trying to figure out how she could grapple the clone so Kakashi could use the Kamui like they did with the orbs. Getting to that point, however, was going to be a challenge. Hopefully they could hold out long enough for that to happen.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted. They looked over to see Black Zetsu's hand was clenched firmly around Sasuke's forearm. Black Zetsu's body quickly spread, creeping up Sasuke's neck and down his torso. Naruto leapt toward Black Zetsu, but stopped short as something they couldn't see blocked him. The arm encompassing Sasuke suddenly burst into black flames, but the creature paid it no mind as it lifted Sasuke into the air. Black goo dripped from Black Zetsu's hand, taking the flames along with it.

In a flash, Sasuke was gone, having switched places with one of Naruto's Truth-Seeking Orbs. Black Zetsu tossed the orb aside, the object sticking to the sand.

 _It's trying to absorb him,_ Yuiko thought. _Sasuke might be able to fight it, but if he doesn't …_

Yuiko dropped her eyes, her mind racing. Black Zetsu was able to use her abilities when it had her. If it got Naruto or Sasuke …

Her eyes focused on the stain of blood in the sand. She stared at it, bringing her hand up to wipe her lip. She looked down at the fresh blood on her finger.

 _It used it. It used my blood._

"I need to try something," Yuiko said softly. "I have to get some distance so it doesn't have time to stop me, though."

"We'll watch your back," Kakashi said, looking about. "Be careful."

Yuiko phased through the sand, moving swiftly underground. When she had gone a few yards, she brought herself back up. Kakashi and Sakura still stood back-to-back; the limbo clone had either retreated or was waiting for an opening before making its move. Naruto was still engaged with at least one of the clones himself, Black Zetsu's body writhing as it attempted to absorb Sasuke.

"Here it goes," Yuiko said, wiping her lip with her left thumb. She put her thumb to her right palm, smearing the blood across.

"Summoning Jutsu!" she cried, slamming her palm to the dirt. Text shot out in a large web-like pattern around her, her heart pounding in her ears as she waited.

Black Zetsu screamed, clutching its head as it began to thrash about. Its arms dropped to its sides as it stared into the sky, its body rippling like liquid. Yuiko let out a surprised shout as she was suddenly propelled upwards in a cloud of smoke. As the smoke beneath her cleared, she stepped forward, looking down at her companions. She had forgotten how incredibly large the Demonic Statue was, even with it in a sitting position like it was now.

Yuiko crouched, flattening her hands against its surface. Though she had pulled it out, Black Zetsu was still somehow able to hang on to the Tailed Beasts. She started to funnel chakra into the statue. Yuiko's head suddenly drooped forward, her eyesight growing blurry. The statue was sucking energy from her at an alarming rate.

 _This must be what it needs to exist here,_ she thought, trying to regain control. _I won't be able to keep this up for long._

Yuiko lifted her eyes to focus on Black Zetsu. She brought her hands to her chest, flashing through a number of hand signs.

 _I hope you're watching, Grandfather,_ she thought _. I remember how proud you were just pulling out one Tailed Beast._

Yuiko slammed her palms onto the statue, a cluster of green chains shooting from its mouth. Naruto grimaced, flinging himself to the side as the chains flashed past him and slammed into Black Zetsu. The chains grew taut, pulling the creature closer. Black Zetsu dug its legs into the sand, crying out as the chains dragged it forward.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled. Sasuke nodded, rushing forward to skewer one of the limbo clones as it struggled to free its original from the chains.

Naruto grinned, leaving Sasuke's side to fly toward the statue. He landed on its head, crouching beside Yuiko. Naruto studied her strained expression, putting his arm on her shoulder in concern — and as soon as he did, things made a lot more sense.

"Man, this thing uses a lot of chakra," he said, wincing.

"That's an understatement," Yuiko whispered, sweat dripping down the side of her face.

Suddenly, everything in Yuiko's vision began to take on a red hue. She was afraid it was a sign of her losing consciousness, but she noticed that her energy was somehow coming back to her. She looked at her hands, studying the red aura of chakra encasing them.

"I can give you more, if you need it," Naruto said cheerfully, smiling at her.

"I think this will be enough," Yuiko said, returning his smile. She turned her attention back to Black Zetsu, studying it intently. She cried out, the chains clacking among themselves as their strain increased. The cluster of chains started to spread apart, Black Zetsu's body stretching horizontally. Its head and limbs retreated into its torso until it no longer held a discernible shape. With a loud crack its body split apart into nine pieces, all hurtling towards the statue.

"You did it!" Naruto whooped, his eyes shining.

Yuiko dismissed the jutsu, the statue and chains disappearing in a large cloud of smoke. Naruto grabbed her around the middle, floating the two of them gently back to the ground.

Yuiko sighed, her strength returning as her body hungrily absorbed the chakra from Naruto's cloak. A figure appeared through the cloud, and Sasuke became visible as he approached. The sound of footsteps from behind them heralded Sakura and Kakashi as well.

"That was amazing!" Sakura said, her smile fading as she looked at Yuiko. "But you're so pale."

"I'll be alright," Yuiko chuckled, "Naruto's chakra helps."

Naruto's cloak was already fading away as Yuiko's body absorbed the last of the chakra he gave her. She started to ask him when he learned to do that when she caught the look on Sasuke's face.

"Hey," Sasuke said. He was staring ahead, unmoving.

"What is it?" Kakashi said, looking away from the others. He froze.

"Guys? What's going on?" Naruto said, looking between them. "I can sense the Tailed Beasts now; they should be fine. What do you see?"

The smoke finally cleared, revealing the shapes of nine large creatures. They towered above the ninjas, their bodies bulging and twisting about. They were all pitch black, save for the creatures with eight and nine tails, which each had a rinnegan in the center of their heads.

"N-no …" Yuiko stuttered, her eyes wide. "That … It shouldn't be like that. They should have been pulled out from Black Zetsu!"

"And now there are nine giant ones," Sasuke said flatly.

"But they should be weaker now, right?" Sakura asked, her voice hopeful.

One of the creatures starting running toward them on all fours, picking up speed as it approached.

"I guess we'll find out," Kakashi said, readying himself.

* * *

A/N: Because things just can't be easy for our shinobi. But more importantly ... TAILED BEAST BATTLE ROYALE!


	79. Chapter 79

A/N: So I'm doing something a little different for the next few chapters. Basically, there's a lot going on between all the different characters at the same time, so to keep things from being too confusing and having the POV change every paragraph, I'll be focusing on one character's POV and what they're doing. There will be little glimpses of what the other characters are up to, but the full picture won't be there yet. Then in the following chapter, there will be another POV that will help to fill in the gaps of that happened in the previous one, etc.

All of this will culminate in the big finale ... so hopefully it all works out! Haha

* * *

A loud roar filled Sakura's ears. She looked to her right, Kakashi and Yuiko disappearing in a whirl of sand. Naruto grabbed her around the waist, her eyes growing wide as they flew past the beast that had been running at them. The creature turned on its heel, coming at them again with amazing speed.

"Rasengan!"

Naruto pushed his free hand out in front of him as the beast approached, Sakura squinting against the light. What happened next was almost too fast for Sakura to register: The beast kept approaching, one of its legs rippling like liquid as it pulled itself away and around Naruto's Rasengan. The leg curled around them in an arc, slamming into their backs. The two of them were sent flying, skidding across the sand. Sakura flung her arm into the dirt, sliding to a stop.

"Sakura! You OK?" Naruto shouted, at her side in an instant.

"I'm fine," Sakura said, staring down the beast. It was walking side-to-side, the lump that Sakura believed to be its head remaining locked in their direction. Even without eyes, Sakura could feel the creature studying them intently.

"Man, that thing is fast," Naruto said, his brow furrowed.

"Do you think you can match its speed?" Sakura asked.

"Sasuke could for sure," Naruto replied. Sakura hadn't seen Sasuke since the beast approached. Considering there were 8 more of them out there, she had an idea of what he was up to. They were on their own.

"Maybe we don't need to be as fast as it is," Sakura said. "Maybe it just needs to be as slow as we are."

"Oh, I get it," Naruto said with a smirk. "Leave it to me."

Naruto flew forward over the sand, making a beeline for the beast. The creature crouched briefly before jettisoning itself at Naruto. In a cloud of smoke, there were now dozens of Narutos. The creature lashed out, many of the clones dissipating on impact. Those that were left clamped onto the creature's leg. More Shadow Clones popped into existence, grasping the creature until most of its body was covered in bright orange light. The beast thrashed madly, flinging Naruto clones off as it jerked about. But for every clone it threw off, two more appeared. The creature started to run, but it had trouble picking up speed because of the added weight.

The creature's head snapped up as it sensed something above it. Naruto and Sakura floated in the air, Naruto releasing his grip on Sakura as she raised her fist above her shoulder. She let out a shout as she fell, quickly picking up speed. The creature tried to move, but the Naruto clones about its legs formed a chain deep into the sand, locking it in place.

As Sakura reached the creature's back, the black goo parted, splashing apart from the force of the chakra condensed in Sakura's fist. Her fist made contact with a surface of swirling blue flames, which rapidly flowed out over the black goo. Naruto's clones disappeared as the creature let out a piercing shriek, Sakura gritting her teeth as the sound reverberated throughout her body. The creature bucked beneath her, propelling Sakura back.

Sakura flipped through the air, landing smartly in the sand. She started to run, keeping her eyes on the creature as she looked back over her shoulder. The black goo about it was burning up in the blue flames, and the creature, which looked like a large cat, shook itself as the last of the goo fell away. The ground beneath Sakura suddenly shook, and she slid to a halt. Two objects fell from the sky, rolling across the sand upon impact. The figures rose to their feet, and Sakura ran toward them.

"Yuiko! Kakashi-Sensei!" Sakura cried, approaching them. "Are you alright? Do you need—?"

Sakura frowned, raising an eyebrow. "Why are you wet?"

Both Kakashi and Yuiko were soaked from head to toe. Sand clung to them in clumps; Kakashi was trying in vain to brush it out of the part of his hair falling over his eyes.

"Well," Kakashi said, quickly looking up as a shadow loomed over them.

A massive object fell from the sky, engulfing Sakura's vision in darkness. She felt something grab her arm, and her body was enveloped in a tingling sensation as she fell through the ground. Sakura could feel her arm being pulled as she was guided through the darkness. She felt herself being yanked upwards, and squinted her eyes against the harsh desert sun.

Yuiko released her grip on Sakura's arm; the two of them crouched on the sand. Sakura followed Yuiko's gaze, focusing on a steaming lake of black liquid a few yards away. The stench of it filled her nostrils, causing her sinuses to burn. It reminded her of the acid ocean they had seen before.

"Kakashi-Sensei, did he …?"

"He dodged it; he got away while I was getting to you," Yuiko said curtly. "I think he got the attention of whatever fell from the sky. We'll need to get past this one to help him with that, though."

"Wait, whatever did this isn't what attacked us?"

"They're all attacking us," Yuiko replied, her voice soft.

The pool of black liquid erupted, an enormous shape emerging from the center. The all-black shape looked like a mountain, its figure made up of large lumps with no discernible limbs. It thrashed about, a stream of black liquid shooting from the top of the creature toward the pair. The two of them were gone in a flicker, the acidic goo sizzling against the sand as it splashed down.

Sakura ran about the perimeter of the lake, Yuiko appearing at her side. The creature continued to spit acid at them, leaving a trail in their wake. Thankfully, this one didn't appear to have the speed of the last one Sakura faced.

"We can't get too close," Sakura warned. "The pool of poison around it looks corrosive — the sand at its edges is being eaten up. Do you have any scrolls with long-ranged attacks?"

"No," Yuiko replied. "I'm out of chakra scrolls. I have some exploding tags that I can put on that thing if I can get close. I can't use my boil release to propel myself as far as before since I no longer have Kokuō, though. I don't think I can reach it."

"Can you phase through that stuff?"

"Black Zetsu's influence controlling the Tailed Beasts is highly unstable; it's barely holding on. It means the Tailed Beasts can break out with some help from us, but the instability of the chakra flow also means that I can't sync with it."

"Alright," Sakura said, furrowing her brow in thought. She changed direction, backing up from the beast in a straight line, with Yuiko following suit. The creature had been spitting acid behind them, and if they continued to circle it they would only being helping to increase its advantage.

"I'll activate my Creation Rebirth seal," Sakura said solemnly. "You'll grab onto me and propel us into the acid as far as you can. You'll land on my back, than propel yourself forward again to reach the creature and plant the tags."

"Will that seal really keep the acid from dissolving you?"

"Hopefully."

Yuiko was silent, her mouth a grim line. The two came to a stop as the creature's stream of acid fell short. It looked like they had finally reached the limit of its range.

"I'm going to go underground," Yuiko said. "I'll plant explosives underneath it. That might cause enough damage for the Tailed Beast to gain control."

"Are you crazy?" Sakura said, her eyes ablaze. "Don't you see that stuff? It could have seeped _miles_ underground by now. If you run into a pool of that you'll be turned into soup!"

"Your seal is too risky," Yuiko said. "You might not be able to heal fast enough to withstand it. I won't let you sacrifice yourself."

"And what the hell do you think your plan is?!" Sakura said, her voice rising.

"My plan is to keep you alive," Yuiko said.

The ground began to rumble, and they looked back at the beast as it started to slide over its trail of acid toward them. Streams of black goo shot out from its sides, creating an extension of the acid lake as it approached. The top of it writhed about, preparing another large blast. They crouched, readying themselves to jump aside when suddenly a large, red object slammed into the beast.

The two objects tumbled over each other, the red object — which Yuiko identified as the Four-Tails — rolling to a stop, seemingly knocked out. The all-black creature rolled for a little longer, sliding to a stop a good distance from its pool of acid.

Yuiko and Sakura quickly exchanged a look before bolting toward it. Sakura raised her fist, pooling chakra. Yuiko continued to run, but phased under the sand and out of sight. The top of the creature slowly swayed about, seemingly stunned.

Sakura's fist made contact with the beast, her arm pushing into its flesh. Its body seemed to absorb her blow, stretching like rubber until her arm was hidden up to her shoulder. A loud boom filled her ears, and Sakura looked up to see the cloud of smoke resulting from Yuiko's exploding tags.

The creature let out a wail, the black material against her arm stretching and bulging as she pulled away. Its body started to expand, tearing holes in the black goo stretched over its cream-colored skin.

"Sakura!"

Sakura whipped her head around, spotting Yuiko as she phased up through the sand nearby.

"Is it going to be OK?" Sakura asked, running to meet her. The pair looked up at the creature, the Six-Tails' slug-like face now visible through the rips in Black Zetsu's goo. The Six-Tails started secreting steam, which seemed to be melting the goo off its body.

"I think so," Yuiko said, watching it. "Let's see if anyone needs help."

Sakura heard a faint rumbling, turning to look behind them. An enormous spiked ball careened toward them, a long trail of sand flying out in its wake.

"Oh, come on! Really?" Sakura shouted in disbelief.

"It must know," Yuiko said, grabbing hold of Sakura. "It's possible Black Zetsu has a connection to the beasts. We were attacked right after beating the last one, too. Stay close to me; we're going underground."

Swirling shades of blue suddenly filled Sakura's vision.

 _Huh, I don't remember this being a part of it,_ she thought of the phasing jutsu.

She and Yuiko were shoved over and tossed in the air before Sakura could get her bearings. Sakura landed on the glowing blue surface, clinging to it for dear life as the wind whipped past. This thing was moving fast, and she could hardly make out anything around her.

"Please hang on! We need to get a little farther!" a voice boomed.

"Sakura! Grab onto me!" another voice said. Sakura lifted her eyes, looking up at Yuiko's outstretched hand.

"How are you able to stand on this thing?!" Sakura said, looking up at her in amazement.

"I have some of Matatabi's chakra, so I can resonate with it. If you grab on, I can share some with you."

Sakura reached out her hand, grasping Yuiko's. The wind still whipped at her face, but the rushing sound died down considerably. She rose to her feet, feeling as steady as if the gargantuan beast moving below her was an extension of herself. She was able to look around, the objects about her coming more into focus as they seemed to slow down. The spiked ball was still coming at them, but with every graceful bound of the creature beneath them, the gap widened considerably.

"Amazing," Sakura said, admiring the Two-Tails. "It saved us."

"Yes," Yuiko said, smiling sweetly. "Matatabi is a very nice kitty."

Something large swooped overhead, its bright blue wings stretched out as it passed by. The object quickly changed course, its wings flinging up a cloud of sand as it propelled itself higher into the sky.

"That looked like … a Susanoo," Sakura said, staring at it.

"Is that Sasuke?" Yuiko asked. From what she recalled, Sasuke's Susanoo didn't look like that.

Another large object flew overhead, temporarily blocking out the sun. It was pitch black, spinning through the air on six wings that protruded from its back. The creature flew after the Susanoo, the two spinning about each other in an aerial dance as explosions erupted around them.

"You have got to be kidding," Yuiko said, almost soft enough that Sakura couldn't hear.

"What is it?" Sakura said, glancing at her before looking back up to the sky.

"That's Kakashi."


	80. Chapter 80

A large ball of wind chakra hurled past Kakashi, whipping sand into the air. He shifted his focus away from the beast that had been running toward them to the one that had fired the wind attack. The beast's pitch-black body expanded like a balloon, another air bullet flying toward him as it released it through a gaping maw.

"Get behind me!" Kakashi barked. Yuiko nodded, moving from his side. The two of them had jumped to the right to avoid the last attack, while Naruto had grabbed Sakura and taken off in the opposite direction. Kakashi had hoped they'd be able to work as a group against the enemy, but it looked like their opponents had other plans.

"Kamui!"

The air bullet flew neatly into the vortex, the wind around them immediately dying out.

"Wind chakra," Kakashi said, dismissing the Kamui. "It's the One-Tail, right?"

"Probably," Yuiko said, stepping beside him. "It can also control sand."

"So we're in its element," Kakashi said, displeased. "You can phase through sand as long as it doesn't get imbued it with its chakra, right?"

"Right."

"Alright. Get me as close as you can underground, and I'll use the Kamui once I'm in range."

"You can't kill it," Yuiko said, sounding distressed. Kakashi dared to glance at her before looking back at the beast. The color was returning to Yuiko's face as the last of Naruto's cloak faded away.

"I can't make that promise, but I'll try to think of something."

Kakashi saw Yuiko nod in his peripheral vision.

"Let's go."

The two of them shot toward the beast. Yuiko clasped his arm as they crested a large dune, preparing to phase. They froze as a black, snake-like object met their shadows. The text spiraled out in a circular pattern about their feet, Kakashi finding that he could no longer will his limbs to move. He could still shift his gaze, and followed the line of text back to where it originated from the One-Tail.

"It set a trap," Yuiko said.

"Try not to sound so impressed."

"I'm only a little impressed; it didn't make the seal as strong as it should have."

A large hand made of black sand rose from the ground to Kakashi's right. Another one rose to Yuiko's left, bathing them in shadow. It looked like the beast was planning to crush them while they were immobile.

Symbols of black text shot out from Yuiko's feet, intermingling with the seal. The symbols beneath them shifted, the circles of text slowly rotating both clockwise and counter-clockwise. The seal flashed with blue light, and Kakashi felt a tingling sensation as the two of them phased beneath the surface.

A crashing sound came from above, Kakashi assuming that the two hands had smashed together. The pair started to move, and after a few seconds of running Yuiko pulled them upward to appear behind the One-Tail. The creature's head — or what Kakashi assumed to be its head — swiveled about. Three towering walls of black sand erupted from the ground about the One-Tail. The walls fell inward, crashing together to form a pyramid hiding the One-Tail from view.

"This one's smart," Yuiko said.

"Again, stop sounding so impressed."

They ran toward the pyramid, coming to a stop as they reached its walls. Kakashi ran his hand over the black sand, studying the chakra packed densely within it. He could use his Kamui to break it apart, but that course of action came with the added risk of killing the One-Tail. That should be kept as a last resort. Aside from that, he knew of two surefire ways to deal with sand jutsu, and it was starting to look like they'd have to utilize both.

The ground beneath them shifted, and Yuiko and Kakashi leapt onto the pyramid as a series of whirlpools formed in the sand around the structure. Large black spikes began to erupt out of the pyramid's surface, causing the pair to run along the walls to avoid being impaled.

"Alright, now I'm impressed," Kakashi resigned.

"Orders?"

"Do you have any scrolls left you can use to seal chakra?"

"One," Yuiko said, patting her belt.

"Good. Can you still do boil release?"

"Kind of. I think I can still make steam, but I don't think I can make it corrosive."

"That will work. Let's get started."

—

Kakashi and Yuiko's paths split, Yuiko heading toward the top of the pyramid while Kakashi made his way toward the base. He dodged smartly around the spikes, his sharingan allowing him more than enough time to avoid them as they appeared. He glanced behind him, noting that Yuiko had made it to the pyramid's tip.

Steam pooled about her feet, and Yuiko leapt high into the air. She flashed a series of hand signs and opened her mouth, blowing out a large cloud of steam, which fell over the pyramid, creeping down its sides. Kakashi kept moving, circling around the lower part of the structure until the steam crept over it completely. He skid to a stop, slamming his hands against the wall.

"Lightning Style: Thundercloud!"

Bolts of electricity spread out from his hands, the steam around him conducting the energy and amplifying its effect as it spread over the pyramid. He felt the chakra energy of the lightning around him increase, noting that Yuiko must have activated the lightning seal he made for her moments before. He continued to pour chakra into the lightning, the sand beneath him growing hot to the touch.

A loud 'crack!' reverberated through the air, followed by another. With his sharingan he was able to see that a large split had formed on the wall above him. A loud snapping sound came from somewhere behind him, and the entire pyramid began to crumple into shards of shining black glass.

Kakashi dismissed the lightning, hopping between the debris as he fell. The large, black form of the One-Tail towered above him, and he knew he only had a short window before it tried something else.

 _Time for the second way to counter sand jutsu._

Kakashi's hands blurred in a series of signs. He had never used this technique in this particular way, but he hoped he could make it work.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

The steam left floating in the air coalesced, creating a vortex of rapidly swirling water that towered over Kakashi. The water vortex twisted about, forming the shape of a dragon head at its end. The water dragon flew through the air, crashing against the One-Tail in a forceful wave. The jutsu wrapped itself around the One-Tail, sloughs of black sand sliding down its side as the water permeated its coating.

The giant beast roared, the black sand fighting to crush the jutsu. The water dragon disappeared from sight, the shape of the One-Tail now a mass of writhing black sand. The mass began to grow, becoming rounder as water started seeping from cracks that had formed on its side.

"Kakashi!" Yuiko cried, running to him. She reached out to grasp him just as the sand burst apart. Kakashi felt himself get thrown off his feet, flying through the air and struggling to breathe as water drenched his face mask. He landed in the sand with a heavy thud, pulling his mask down to cough up liquid.

"Yuiko! Kakashi-Sensei!" he heard a familiar voice cry. He adjusted his mask, rising to his feet. He was relieved to see Yuiko had landed nearby and was doing the same.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked as she approached them. "Do you need—?"

Sakura frowned, raising as eyebrow. "Why are you wet?"

"Well," Kakashi said, quickly looking up as a shadow loomed over them. He leapt back, daring to glance away from the large form above him as he watched Yuiko grab Sakura's arm and disappear underground. He let out a small sigh of relief, bringing his eyes back to the object that crashed into the sand before him.

Unlike the One-Tail, this creature was bipedal, looming high above him as it raised its fist from the sand. It leapt at him with a surprising amount of speed, leaving a large cloud of sand as its fist once again missed its mark.

 _I'm not sure which one this is,_ Kakashi thought, unable to see the number of tails, _but at least it's not as bad as the One-Tail._

The creature arched its back, its torso expanding. Its head flung forward, a torrent of molten lava pouring from its maw.

 _I take that back._

Kakashi broke into a sprint, pumping his legs with chakra to increase his speed. He turned to look over his shoulder, his eyes widening as a wave of lava loomed above him.

 _So much for conserving energy._

Kakashi spun about, staring down the wave. "Kamui!"

The lava twisted into a spiral, the vortex greedily sucking it in. Kakashi narrowed his eyes, doing his best to ignore the stinging sensation as sweat dripped from his brow.

The lava to his left parted in a torrential wave, the giant leg of the beast sweeping through it as it headed toward him. Kakashi dismissed the Kamui, falling flat on his back as the leg passed overhead. He reached out, pooling chakra into his hands to stick to the black surface.

Kakashi was yanked from the ground, scrambling around to grip onto the back of the creature's leg to avoid the lava flow. The leg started to swing back as the creature righted itself, Kakashi funneling chakra into his feet to run up to the creature's back. He picked up speed, his arm becoming engulfed in blue electricity as the back of the creature's head came into view.

The screeching sound of the lightning cutter pierced the air as Kakashi sliced across the beast's neck. The black goo around it split apart, revealing a tuft of red fur. The cut quickly started to close up, Kakashi's eyes hardening as the slash disappeared.

 _Damn. I don't know if I have anything that can pack a big enough punch without using the Kamui. I hope Yuiko will forgive me for this._

" _It took you over 30 years to finally get a girlfriend. I'm not going to let you risk throwing that away."_

 _Obito?!_

The world around Kakashi began to spin. His arms flailed about wildly before he was able to slam them against the creature's back, using chakra to keep them in place. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes widening as the pool of lava below him grew closer. The creature had flung itself into the air, attempting to slam its back into the lava with Kakashi along for the ride.

Bright blue chakra engulfed Kakashi's line of sight. He could feel himself being lifted from the creature's back, and watched as two large objects erupted from the chakra on either side of his vision. He launched off the beast, skimming along above the lava before shooting straight up into the air. Looking down he could see lava splashing up around the beast as it fell heavily to the sand.

Kakashi noticed his vision still had a hint of swirling blue chakra to it, and he could make out bits of the large form surrounding him. He lifted his right arm, watching in amusement as another, much larger arm made of the blue chakra mimicked his movements a few feet below. Kakashi lifted his head, turning to his right and left to study the set of wings protruding from the figure's back.

 _A Susanoo, huh? I didn't even think of that._

" _You've been vastly under utilizing my abilities. It's been a little disappointing."_

Kakashi smirked, a mountain of options tumbling through his mind.

The Susanoo's wings snapped back as he hurtled toward the beast. The creature still towered over him, but at least now he was on a more level playing field. He raised the Susanoo's left fist, crashing into the creature's face with a hook. The creature took a step back as it absorbed the blow, quickly countering with a jab aimed at the Susanoo's chest. The beast's arm moved smoothly through the Susanoo, Kakashi using Obito's phasing ability to negate the blow. The Susanoo sidestepped, kneeing the beast in the gut, followed quickly by a right uppercut. Kakashi pulled the Susanoo's left arm pulled back, its hand engulfed in black lighting.

"Kamui Lightning Blade!"

The Susanoo's arm arced across the beast's torso from its upper thigh to the shoulder. A large split formed in the black goo, revealing a shock of red fur underneath. The black goo around the split quivered, but was having trouble repairing itself. Unlike the regular lightning cutter, this attack didn't just slice through the coating — with Kakashi using the power of the Kamui, it actually absorbed it.

Kakashi pushed the Susanoo forward, phasing through the beast. The Susanoo lifted its left arm up as it phased through, turning to bring its arm down and create another slash across the beast's back the moment it was free.

Kakashi raised the Susanoo's arm again, but stopped himself as the beast began to flail about. The beast was letting out a series of roars and grunts, its right arm tearing at the black goo. It ripped a long piece of the goo off its torso, throwing it violently into the lava.

The Four-Tails gained momentum, ripping the goo off itself in pent-up rage. The ape-like beast made quick work of the remaining goo, letting out a triumphant roar and beating its fist against its chest as the last of the goo dissolved in the lava. It turned to Kakashi, looking up slightly at the Susanoo floating above it.

"You have my gratitude, Uchiha," the Four-Tails boomed.

"Uh, actually …" Kakashi began, but then sighed, deciding now wasn't the time.

"Hmm?" The Four-Tails said, its eyes shifting from Kakashi.

Kakashi began to turn as the Four-Tails reached out, swiftly pushing the Susanoo aside. A large, black object swooped past where Kakashi had been, crashing into the Four-Tails.

The Four-Tails was sent flying. Kakashi lost track of it as the black object recovered from the crash and started coming at him again. Kakashi saw six insect-like wings sprouting from the creature's back along with a long tail hanging from its abdomen. That, along with it being the only Tailed Beast capable of flight, helped Kakashi to identify it as the Seven-Tails.

"Sorry, Kakashi-Sensei!" a voice yelled from somewhere above, the word "sensei" growing fainter as the voice faded away.

 _I hope I live long enough to learn what that was about,_ he thought dryly as the Susanoo took off over the sand.

The Seven-Tails changed course, easily gaining on him. The Susanoo's wings snapped down as Kakashi launched high into the air. The Seven-Tails flew parallel to him, a large purple orb of energy growing in front of its head. The orb shot toward the Susanoo, Kakashi phasing through it. Undeterred, the Seven-Tails continued to produce Beast Balls, firing them in rapid succession as Kakashi spun through the air. He phased through the Beast Balls as they ignited around him, watching the Seven-Tails intently. The beast was fast, and despite his best efforts Kakashi wasn't able to get in close when he wanted to. Whether this was due to a limitation of the Susanoo or his own inexperience with flight, he wasn't sure.

He dodged another array of bombs, the sand below erupting in bright reds and yellows. As much as he didn't want to harm the beast, it looked like his best bet to immobilize it would be to damage its wings before things got out of hand. He came to a stop, floating mid-air as the Seven-Tails approached. He focused his attention on the three wings sprouting from the left side of the beast. If he acted quickly, he hoped he could absorb only the wings without harming the rest of the creature.

Kakashi readied himself as the beast began to form another Beast Bomb, when a large blur of purple chakra suddenly flung the beast aside. Kakashi blinked, looking on in astonishment as the two forms tumbled through the air.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke's Susanoo clung to the beast with one arm, raising a large sword made from chakra in the other.

"Wait, Sasuke!" Kakashi cried, flying forward.

Kakashi wasn't sure if his former student heard him or if the beast was able to break free on its own, but the Seven-Tails shot out of Sasuke's grasp, flying high into the air.

Sasuke didn't take his eyes away from the Seven-Tails as Kakashi flew up beside him, but to his credit he did remain still.

"We can't kill them," Kakashi said, eyeing Sasuke warily.

Sasuke grunted.

In the past Kakashi would have taken that as acknowledgement. Now, he wasn't so sure.

"It's fast," Kakashi said, watching as the Seven-Tails circled above. "I have a way of damaging the coating without killing the beast; I just haven't been able to get close to it."

Sasuke remained silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he watched the creature.

"Try to keep up," he said mildly, his Susanoo suddenly taking off toward the beast.

Uncertainty nibbled at Kakashi's stomach, but he willed his Susanoo to follow, his form cutting through the air as he rose. The Seven-Tails began to form another bomb at Sasuke's approach, Sasuke's Susanoo brandishing its sword. Kakashi's eyes narrowed, watching nervously as he got closer.

The Seven-Tails let the bomb loose, the purple Susanoo deflecting the bomb with a powerful swing. The bomb flew into the distance, detonating in a bright flash of light.

Sasuke swooped past the Tailed Beast, positioning himself above it. His Susanoo raised its left hand, placing it before its mouth. Kakashi forced himself to come to a quick stop below the Tailed Beast, watching intently. He willed his Susanoo to raise its arm, mirroring Sasuke.

An enormous fireball erupted from the purple Susanoo, engulfing the Seven-Tails from above. The Seven-Tails screeched, flying down away from the flames. Kakashi was there to meet it, greeting it with a fireball of his own. The Seven-Tails flailed madly, opting for a horizontal escape from the burning hell it found itself in. The creature burst from the flames, black goo dripping from its body.

Something appeared to the creature's right, wrapping itself around its torso. The Seven-Tails attempted to shake the purple assailant off, but found it was having trouble maneuvering with three of its wings now pinned to its side.

The two figures began to spin, the beast losing its orientation as the pair hurtled head-first toward the ground. The Susanoo withdrew its grip, stopping the Seven-Tails' spin with a sudden fist to its jaw. The Susanoo did a somersault, straightening out its left leg to hit the creature squarely across the chest. The beast exhaled sharply, doing its best to right itself as the ground loomed nearer.

A flash of blue appeared against the sand, the right arm of Kakashi's Susanoo skidding across the dirt as it positioned itself underneath the beast to perform the last step of the Lion Barrage. The Susanoo's left leg shot up, a crunching sound cutting through the air as its foot made contact with the beast's jaw. As the beast fell back, the blue Susanoo produced a number of black shuriken held tightly in its grip.

"Kamui Shuriken!"

The shuriken flew about the beast, Kakashi maneuvering them using strings of chakra to slice off and absorb the trails of black goo as the beast fell to the sand.

The Seven-Tails lifted itself into a crouch, its body shaking. A split appeared at the tip of its head, spreading down its back. Kakashi withdrew his shuriken, watching as the black goo parted, falling to the dirt as the Seven-Tails shakily pulled itself out. Watching the process, Kakashi was reminded of the cicadas that would shed their skin on the tree outside his childhood home.

"Watch it!" Sasuke yelled.

Kakashi looked behind him, spotting a black tentacle slithering toward him over the sand. He launched himself into the air, the Seven-Tails following suit as the tentacle shot past, and then went stiff, quickly retreating back the way it came.

Kakashi saw it was one of many, all retreating back to another Tailed Beast. The form on this one was less defined, limbs and tentacles constantly growing and retracting from its body. Unlike the other Tailed Beasts under Black Zetsu's control, this one's coloring was broken by two miniscule objects, which Kakashi was able to identify as rinnegan.

Kakashi's eyes made a quick pass of the surrounding area. He was relieved to see that most of the Tailed Beasts were no longer under Black Zetsu's control. However, something was off. He counted the freed Tailed Beasts, but only came up to six.

 _I've noticed only two left under its control … Why is one of them missing?_

A scream pierced the air, panic flowing over Kakashi when he realized the voice he heard was Yuiko's. His heart began to race as he dove down, approaching one of the two remaining beasts under Black Zetsu's control. The scream suddenly cut off as Kakashi watched Yuiko fall still.


	81. Chapter 81

"Go for it, Sakura!" Naruto shouted. He watched Sakura drop through the air, her fist raised as she approached the Tailed Beast's back.

Sakura's punch landed, and the force wave of chakra allowed the Two-Tails' influence to break free. Naruto grinned as he felt the Two-Tails' chakra signature return to normal. The chakra signatures he had felt before had been familiar, but clouded — like looking at an image through frosted glass.

Naruto began to drop down to meet with Sakura when he sensed something coming up fast from behind him. He turned his head, grimacing at the sight of the Seven-Tails flying toward him with a Beast Bomb at the ready. Naruto flew through the air in a flash of orange, aiming to get as far away from Sakura and the Two-Tails as possible. He turned to look back, the Beast Bomb filling his vision as it drew closer. Naruto's Truth-Seeking Orbs came together to form a single sphere at his back before stretching to engulf him entirely.

His small sanctuary shook as the blast surrounded him, and he dismissed it as the rumbling faded. He looked among the smoke, spotting the Seven-Tails. Naruto rose through the air, bursting from the cloud to put himself at eye level with the beast.

"Come on, you gotta fight it!" Naruto yelled, brandishing his fists. "Don't let Black Zetsu take control! I don't want to hurt you, Cho —" Naruto frowned, scrunching up his face. "Cho … Chouko? No, wait, that's the wrong type of bug. Chōza! Mmm, no, that's Chōji's dad …"

The Seven-Tails bolted toward him. Naruto scrambled to get out of the way, zigzagging through the air, and then flipped himself around to face the beast.

"Rasengan!"

A large rasengan formed in his hand just as the Seven-Tails readied a Beast Bomb. The bomb shot through the air, but Naruto's rasengan pushed the bomb back. He launched the rasengan away from his hand, and the two balls of energy flew away until they detonated between the Seven-Tails and himself. But something large cut through the explosion, and Naruto braced himself before blinking in surprise. The glowing, purple Susanoo scooped him up, placing him alongside Sasuke in the forehead of the chakra formation.

The Seven-Tails was hot on their heels, but the Susanoo aptly dipped and spun away from its bombs with seemingly little effort from Sasuke. A chakra sword formed in the Susanoo's hand as it turned to face its enemy, but the Seven-Tails suddenly flew down and away from them, something else having caught its attention.

The Susanoo stopped, and the pair watched from above as the Seven-Tails barreled into the Four-Tails, sending the massive creature flying. The Seven-Tails then changed course, now targeting another Susanoo made of bright blue chakra.

"Whoa, did you do that Sasuke?" Naruto asked, impressed.

"No," Sasuke said, his eyes narrowing.

Naruto watched as the other Susanoo flipped through the air. "No way!" he smiled, finally recognizing the person within it. "It's Kakashi-Sensei! That's awesome!"

Sasuke remained silent, wondering for a moment about the turn of events before coming to the conclusion that he didn't care.

Kakashi's Susanoo shot beneath them, the Seven-Tails following closely behind.

Naruto brought his hands up around his mouth. "Sorry, Kakashi-Sensei!"

Sasuke watched the two retreating figures for a moment before turning to Naruto. "I went after the two beasts with the rinnegans," he stated. "They melded into one, and after that Black Zetsu had enough power to try the invisible clones again. But there was something wrong with them this time; they were larger than before, but their movement was slow, and they were weak."

"He had all the Tailed Beasts before," Naruto said, taking a serious tone. "Maybe he couldn't gather up enough power with only two."

"Probably," Sasuke said. "After I took care of the clones, I went after Black Zetsu. It would absorb my chakra when I tried to attack with the Susanoo, and it just discards any parts of it I set on fire with the Amaterasu."

"So, you need to hit it with something pretty big, huh?" Naruto said, a grin stretching across his face.

Sasuke grunted in confirmation.

"Between the two of us, I bet we can figure something out," Naruto said, confidently crossing his arms over his chest.

Naruto looked down, and his smile faded. An enormous, spiked ball was rolling across the sand beneath them, trailing the Two-Tails. Naruto leaned forward, his brow furrowing, and he spotted two familiar figures on the Two-Tails' back.

"Hey, Sasuke!" he shouted. "We need to get down there!"

Sasuke ignored him; the Susanoo continued on its course.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke glanced at Naruto, watching him passively. Naruto stared at the scene below, baring his teeth.

"You won't come with me, will you?" Sasuke said, prompting a defiant glance from Naruto.

"You're such an idiot," Sasuke said, and the Susanoo lost altitude. The Susanoo set itself down between the Two-Tails and the spiked ball, reaching its arms out. The spiked orb met the Susanoo with a large crash, and the Susanoo was forcefully pushed across the sand by the object towering over them. Sasuke grit his teeth, pouring more chakra into the Susanoo to keep its arms from breaking. "Naru —"

A series of explosions burst around them; Sasuke released his grip on the orb to fling the Susanoo away. He glanced up, noticing that the flying beast that had been chasing Naruto before was expelling a number of bombs. One of the bombs landed directly on the ball, propelling it aside from the force of the explosion. The spiked ball spun in place for a moment before picking up speed and barreling toward them.

Sasuke willed the Susanoo forward, flying toward the rolling ball. But something large suddenly shot up from the sand to grip the spiked orb.

"ABSOLUTE DEFENSE!" a voice boomed.

The raccoon-like One-Tail gripped the ball, its arms shaking from the effort.

"Bah! Is that the best you can do, Isobu?" Shukaku laughed. "Your defense is only a sad shadow of my own!"

The orb strained against Shukaku's hold, and for a moment the One-Tail seemed to have it under control, until the orb retracted one of the spikes in its grip. The orb went spinning across Shukaku's face, leaping up and over the beast. It hit the sand with a loud crash, rapidly rolling away.

"Now you've done it!" the One-Tail bellowed, turning around to face the retreating Three-Tails. The pattern on Shukaku's hide shifted as a stream of symbols shot out from its shadow. The symbols moved across the sand in a blur, catching up with the Three-Tails. The Three-Tails suddenly froze, its body shaking through its effort to break free.

"Let's go, Sasuke!" Naruto said, brandishing his fists enthusiastically.

"That other one has it under control," Sasuke said, glaring at him. "We don't need to be here."

"What? Are you kidding?" Naruto yelled incredulously. "We need to help them! I'm not going anywhere until everyone is OK!"

Sasuke's mouth stretched into a thin line. Naruto matched his expression, staring him down.

"We'll split up," Sasuke said slowly, as if the words were being forcefully pulled out. "That way we can deal with them faster."

Naruto nodded, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smirk. He let out a slight yelp of surprise as the Susanoo pulled him bodily out of the swirling purple chakra. The Susanoo lifted its arm, and Naruto grinned madly as he crouched in its palm. "Full speed ahe—!"

The rest of Naruto's exclamation faded as the Susanoo launched him at the Three-Tails.

Naruto squinted against the rushing air, glancing back briefly to see Sasuke fly up and out of sight. He looked back at the looming form of the Tailed Beast, a smile growing across his face.

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Dozens of shadow clones appeared around Naruto, all hurling toward the Three-Tails.

"Rasengan!" they yelled in unison.

Shukaku let out a surprised noise as a flock of what looked like shooting stars flew past it in a blur. A chorus of shouts cut through the air as the glowing balls of light made contact with the Three-Tails, culminating in a blinding flash of blue energy. Shukaku shielded its eyes, feeling its seal retract from the force of the blow.

When the light faded, Shukaku looked on in awe at the freed tortoise-like beast, which appeared to be lying unconscious on its back. The One-Tail lumbered forward, spotting a large splatter of black goo painted across the sand some distance beyond where Isobu lay. It looked down at the single glowing figure, who had reached out a hand to the unconscious Three-Tails and was patting it tenderly.

"Uh … sorry about that," Naruto said, a little sheepish. "Guess I didn't have to hit you that hard …"

"Konoha Kit," the One-Tail boomed, looking down on the boy. "That was an impressive show in absolute offense!"

"Really? I think it might have been a little much," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head.

"It will be fine," Shukaku said. "Isobu is resilient. Not as resilient as I, of course, but a strong beast all the same."

"Well, that's good," Naruto said, still sounding a little doubtful. "Hey, can you do me a favor?"

"Ba ha! Of course! You are wise to ask for my help!" The One-Tail replied with enthusiasm.

Naruto smiled broadly. "You can probably throw pretty far, right?"

—

The Two-Tails let loose another fireball, the Five-Tails skidding on its knees to avoid the blast. The beasts circled each other, dodging various jabs and balls of chakra as they fought. Matatabi did its best to remain mostly upright in an attempt to be conscientious of the two humans hitching a ride. Yuiko and Sakura were crouched upon its back, the latter with her hands planted firmly on Yuiko's shoulders. A soft, green light emitted from Sakura's palms as she transferred chakra.

"I think that's enough, Sakura. Thank you," Yuiko said, keeping her eyes on Kokuō. Sakura stopped the transfer but kept a firm grip on Yuiko to keep her connection to the Two-Tails.

"Matatabi," Yuiko said. Sakura saw the beast's cat-like ears perked up in their direction. Yuiko wasn't speaking above normal volume, but somehow the beast had easily heard her without the need to raise her voice.

"Get us close," Yuiko continued. "As soon as I've left your back, retreat. Don't go full speed, since Sakura will be hanging on using her own strength."

"Wait a minute!" Sakura shouted. "We can't just leave you!"

"I can handle it," Yuiko said curtly.

Matatabi leapt into the air, allowing a Beast Ball to fly underneath. It landed gracefully, continuing to circle the Five-Tails.

"I agree with the girl," Matatabi said, and Sakura almost _felt_ the beast's voice rather than hearing it. "This is too dangerous for one human to handle."

Yuiko bowed her head, bunching up her fists. "Kokuō," she said, her voice wavering. "Kokuō is … Kokuō is _mine_."

Sakura frowned, unsure of what Yuiko was getting at. But the Tailed Beast beneath them gave a low rumble in acknowledgment. "I see," Matatabi said. "So Kokuō is."

"Wait a minute!" Sakura shouted. "How does that settle anything?"

An orange light passed overhead, and Sakura looked up in surprise as Naruto landed deftly on Matatabi's back. Yuiko and Sakura rose to their feet as he turned to face them.

"Naruto!" Sakura said, relieved. "Good! You can tell Yuiko how dumb it is to let her go after the Five-Tails by herself!"

"By herself?" Naruto said, gazing at the rampaging Kokuō before looking back at Yuiko. "Nah, she can handle it."

"What?!" Sakura said, flabbergasted.

"Hey!" Naruto said, his eyes gleaming as he regarded Yuiko. "I can throw you over, if you want. It's a lot of fun!"

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled. "Seriously, what's wrong with you people?!"

"Nothing; we're just jinchūriki," Naruto said, grinning at her. Sakura's eyebrows drooped.

"Grab onto Sakura, please," Yuiko said, regarding Naruto. "I don't want her to lose her grip."

Yuiko turned back toward Sakura, reaching over to ruffle her hair with a smile. "I'll be OK, don't worry."

Sakura's normal reaction to being treated like a child was overwhelmed by her confusion. Naruto stepped between them, putting one hand on Sakura's shoulder. Sakura dropped her hand from Yuiko's back, letting it fall limply to her side.

Naruto smiled broadly, giving Yuiko a thumbs-up with his free hand. Yuiko grinned, returning the gesture as steam pooled about her feet.

Matatabi suddenly jerked to the side, coming alongside the Five-Tails. Yuiko leapt up in a cloud of steam, landing on its back. The Five-Tails hardly seemed to notice, doing its best to ram its horns into Matatabi, but The Two-Tails pulled away, swiftly retreating from the all-black creature.

"Naruto," Sakura said softly, watching Yuiko's figure grow smaller and smaller as they retreated.

"Kokuō belongs to Yuiko," Naruto said, a smile still on his face. "And Yuiko belongs to Kokuō. That's about it."

Sakura was still uncertain, hoping her companions knew something she didn't.

—

Yuiko pooled chakra into her feet, walking as steadily as she could along Kokuō's back. Black Zetsu's influence prevented her from resonating with the Tailed Beast, so she needed to make do with the old-fashioned way of keeping her balance. She was grateful to Matatabi, who was doing a good job at keeping Kokuō distracted from her presence. As she reached the area between Kokuō's shoulder blades, she knelt down, raising her hands.

 _Whelp, here goes nothing._

Yuiko flashed through a number of hand signs before pushing her hands into the black goo. Beneath her, Kokuō stumbled to a stop. The beast bucked wildly, doing all it could to throw her off. But Yuiko had already started the process of merging her chakra with Black Zetsu's, reaching Kokuō's fur underneath. The fur was soft and familiar, and Yuiko gripped onto it with all her might. She tightly closed her eyes, feeling the chakra flow between herself, Kokuō, and Black Zetsu.

"I'm sure you won't be happy to learn that you taught me something," Yuiko said, feeling Black Zetsu's chakra flow around and within her, doing everything it could to gain control. "It is a little scary, though, since instead of just moving through you, I'm letting you become a part of me. But that's what you need to do to gain control, isn't it?"

Kokuō stopped moving; the black goo covering its body rippled like water.

"I lied to you before about the Inner Beast Fusion Seal," Yuiko said. "I don't think I could have actually blown us up. There's no way I could control something on such a large scale. I do think this will work, though."

Bubbles formed along the black goo, leaving behind dents as they popped. The popping sound around Yuiko began to amplify as more and more bubbles formed across the surface. Kokuō's form shuddered, falling to its knees, and Black Zetsu's chakra recoiled. Yuiko took in every wave of fear, confusion, and desperation flowing through her subconscious.

"I almost feel sorry for you," she whispered. "You're simply an observer. You're incapable of feeling companionship, encouragement, or love. Even what you feel toward your mother is just a twisted sense of devotion — a devotion focused on furthering your own standing in this world."

Yuiko hunched over, releasing a flood of burning hatred within herself. The black goo twisted hysterically, physically pulling itself away from her. "I would be able to feel pity if it had only been me. But I can't show you any kindness for what you've done to Kokuō."

Yuiko screamed, pushing the hatred she felt for Black Zetsu through her chakra, feeling it pulsing through her veins. The goo surrounding her sizzled and hissed, dissipating into the air. Because Black Zetsu was a part of her, Yuiko felt the agonizing pain of its signature slipping away. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks, but she didn't stop, allowing the microscopic bombs of Tailed Beast chakra to detonate within her. It was the worst pain she had ever felt, but a small part of her took comfort in knowing Black Zetsu also shared in this torture.

A sound like rustling leaves filled her ears, and Yuiko grew still, quickly realizing that she hadn't stopped screaming.

"You really do have a flair for the dramatic, don't you?"

Yuiko raised her head, looking up into Kokuō's bright, blue eye. Kokuō had turned its head back to study her, the corner of its giant maw rising when it met Yuiko's gaze. Yuiko smiled, laying down to push her face into Kokuō's white fur in relief. She could feel Kokuō's body shifting beneath her as the beast rose to its feet. Yuiko followed its lead, standing upright and turning to look about.

Matatabi came up beside Kokuō, with Naruto and Sakura still riding upon its back. Sasuke's Susanoo hovered directly overhead, while Kakashi's landed gracefully upon Kokuō's back, the blue chakra dissipating.

Yuiko could feel Kokuō's hackles start to rise; she recalled that Kokuō's last memories concerning her interactions with Kakashi were less than pleasant. Yuiko's eyes snapped up to meet Kokuō's, holding its gaze for a moment before Kokuō relaxed itself, turning its head away with a huff.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked as he approached, looking her over.

"Probably," Yuiko said, her voice slightly hoarse. Kakashi furrowed his brow, Yuiko feeling a pang of guilt over making him worry.

"So. A Susanoo, huh?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah," Kakashi said with a shrug. "Why not?"

Yuiko smiled, Kakashi's eyes turning up as he returned the gesture.

Something moved out of the corner of her eye, and Yuiko and Kakashi turned their heads to regard the lumbering figure rising up over a dune. Yuiko tried to decipher which of the two missing Tailed-Beasts it was, but she grew confused that the beast had over a dozen tentacles writhing on its back. Its features didn't match up with the beasts that she knew, and two small purple dots floated randomly over its face.

"Cha! You think you're tough, huh?" A voice boomed.

Yuiko turned and watched as the One-Tail began to approach Black Zetsu. Shukaku threw back its head, readying itself to release an air bullet, when a shockwave from Black Zetsu suddenly threw it off-balance. Four large tentacles shot from Black Zetsu, binding the One-Tail's legs. Yuiko heard a shout from Naruto as the One-Tail was pulled off its feet. The creature flew to Black Zetsu, and in the blink of an eye the One-Tail was gone, pulled into the writhing black mass.


	82. Chapter 82

"All of you, get back!" Kakashi yelled.

The Tailed Beasts (or the ones left conscious) began to back away from the writhing mass, keeping their eyes fixated on Black Zetsu. Black Zetsu's form couldn't seem to decide how many limbs it wanted, morphing from between two and over a dozen. The two small dots of the rinnegans floated about, rotating every which way.

"They're not the only ones who have to worry about being absorbed," Sasuke said, lowering himself down. "When I tried attacking it earlier, it was able to absorb the chakra from my Susanoo on contact. And the Amaterasu just slides off."

Naruto and Sakura leapt onto Kokuō's back to join Yuiko and Kakashi. Kokuō had lowered its head, allowing them all a clear view of Black Zetsu.

"We'll need to be careful," Kakashi said. "If we approach this the wrong way, we'll only succeed in making it stronger."

"So we have to attack it without using chakra?" Naruto asked.

"Not necessarily," Kakashi said, narrowing his eyes in thought. "It probably can't absorb it at the same rate we can deal it out. And if it expelled Sasuke's Amaterasu instead of absorbing it, there must be some chakra it can't take in."

"It's going to need a lot," Sasuke said flatly. "Pulling it off without it countering will be difficult. It's probably still wary from the last time we tricked it."

"It's a good thing we have a distraction genius on our hands, then, isn't it?" Kakashi said, his eyes crinkling as he glanced at Naruto. Naruto beamed, an idea already forming in his head.

"I think I got something pretty good," Naruto said, looking away from Kakashi to meet Yuiko's gaze. "Sorry, but we're gonna have to use that jutsu you don't like. This'll be the first time I've used it since you asked me not to, though, I swear!"

"Huh?" Yuiko said, furrowing her brow. She honestly had no idea what in the world he was talking about.

—

The two rinnegans floating around Black Zetsu's turbulent form suddenly froze, locking on to the shape rising over the sand dune in the distance. All the remaining beasts had retreated along with the shinobi; Black Zetsu was biding its time until they made a move. It knew they had nowhere to go, since this dimension consisted only of an endless desert devoid of any life. It was certain the shinobi would try to fool Black Zetsu again, but it wasn't going to act nearly as careless as it had before.

Naruto flew toward Black Zetsu, landing upon the sand a few yards out and continuing on foot as he looked up at its towering figure. Black Zetsu remained still, confirming that the boy's chakra was the only one it could sense. It seemed the boy had truly approached it alone.

"Perhaps I underestimated the collective intelligence of your group," Black Zetsu said, its raspy voice booming in a similar fashion to the Tailed Beasts. "Have you realized your situation? That you and your friends will be trapped in this desert for the rest of your short lives unless I offer you my assistance?"

"Nah, I think we'll be OK," Naruto said with a smirk. "I just wanted to give you one more chance to change your mind. It's still not too late for you to turn over a new leaf, ya know?"

Black Zetsu found this statement so absurd that it couldn't help but chuckle. "As expected of the heir of Asura," it said. "You have just as much empathy, but are perhaps even more of a fool."

Naruto shrugged. "Hey, I had to give it a shot," he said. "I guess I'll just get to your going away present."

Black Zetsu tensed, every fiber of itself on high alert.

Naruto brought his hands into the "earth" release sign, crossing them over his chest. "Sexy Technique: Harem Jutsu!"

Clouds of pink smoke erupted all around Black Zetsu from the ground and up into the air. It could feel Naruto's chakra signature all around it; the brat had gone with another shadow clone technique. As the smoke cleared, Black Zetsu paused, though for only a fraction of a second … from the pure shock of Naruto's stupidity.

Dozens of naked women, of quite a variety of attractive appearances, surrounded the creature. They struck seductive poses as they smiled, winked, and blew kisses in Black Zetsu's direction. The creature shuddered, its eyes rolling madly about in search of Naruto among the masses.

"I WILL NOT BE MOCKED!" it bellowed, the ground shaking.

Tentacles burst out around Black Zetsu's body, causing some of the girls to let out dramatic cries before disappearing in poofs of smoke. In its rage, Black Zetsu didn't notice one of the women on the ground below raising her arm in the air, collecting chakra into her fist.

The woman cried out, slamming her fist into the sand as her disguise dissipated in a cloud of smoke, revealing her (fully clothed) true self.

The ground beneath Black Zetsu shook, splitting apart below it. It tried to use the One-Tail's influence to collect more sand to fill the gap, but it was having trouble juggling the consciousnesses of the three Tailed Beasts under its control. As Black Zetsu scrambled to keep itself from falling into the crevice, its eyes snapped over to the pink-haired woman regarding it with a smirk. It recognized her as the one called Sakura, though it didn't, and still couldn't, pick up her chakra signature. She distinctly had Naruto's chakra — and possessed a faint red glow about her body.

 _Did he … coat her in his chakra?_

Two women floated above the others within the harem jutsu, looking down at Black Zetsu as they clasped each other's palms with both hands.

"You ready?" the blonde, pig-tailed girl said, a devilish smile growing on her face.

The red-haired woman at her side gave curt nod.

"Transformation Jutsu!" the two yelled in unison.

Black Zetsu's attention left Sakura as an enormous cloud of smoke appeared above it. The Nine-Tails fell through the smoke, slamming into Black Zetsu, who dropped into the newly-formed ravine, sliding down the sand and crashing against the bottom under the Nine-Tails' weight.

Black Zetsu's tentacles shot out at the beast, piercing its body and wrapping a tentacle about its throat. The Nine-Tails threw back its head, pushing a tremendous wave of fire from its maw. Black Zetsu squirmed, its surface starting to melt despite its effort to absorb the Nine-Tails' chakra.

The creature tried to shove the Nine-Tails away, but found that it couldn't slide itself out of the Tailed Beast's grip. In fact, the parts of its body where the Nine-Tails had pinned it were burning with a sensation entirely different from the fire. The fur along its claws had grown black, and with terror Black Zetsu recognized the sensation of its chakra being taken over. It intensified its efforts to get away, a large gap opening in its front as a Beast Ball grew within. A large, black disc appeared underneath the Nine-Tails, shielding it from most of the damage as the orb detonated.

" _This is becoming annoying,"_ Kurama said within its subconscious.

" _We thought you would be happy to stretch your legs,"_ Yuiko said mildly.

" _Hmph,"_ Kurama snorted. _"This is a shared transformation; I only get to do so in part."_

" _It's not so bad!"_ Naruto chirped. _"Although that melding thing Yuiko is doing kinda stings."_

" _I can bear it for a little longer if it means the woman leaves,"_ Kurama said. _"My pride can hardly handle being linked to one human, let alone two."_

" _I'm not surprised how few guests you have, with an attitude like that,"_ Yuiko said. _"But at least you've refrained from saying the nasty things you said last time I came to visit."_

" _Oh yeah!"_ Naruto chuckled. _"I learned some great new words that day."_

Black Zetsu let out a long howl beneath them, dozens of miniature Beast Bombs forming along its body. Kurama growled, and Naruto's subconscious smirked as he felt chakra signatures rapidly approaching.

Two figures suddenly phased through the Nine-Tails, a blue and purple Susanoo coming into view. The blue Susanoo withdrew its hand from the purple Susanoo as they finished passing through the Nine-Tails, descending upon Black Zetsu. In unison they raised their arms, one wielding a sword bathed in black fire, the other's arm encased in black lightning. In the blink of an eye, they struck, each destroying one of Black Zetsu's rinnegans.

The Beast Balls dissipated as the creature screamed in agony. Black Zetsu's form bucked wildly beneath the Nine-Tails as the Susanoos flew aside.

" _Alright!"_ Naruto cheered.

The Nine-Tails disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Naruto hovered in place while Yuiko fell through the air. The blue Susanoo swooped down, scooped her up, and then soared out of the canyon, picking up Sakura along the way and placing her steadily within its forehead.

"So it worked, right?" Sakura asked, looking down excitedly. She turned to her companions. "I knew it wou —"

She stopped, her jaw going slack. A tall woman with large breasts and long, silver hair stood beside her. Her private areas, along with the lower half of her face, were covered by tufts of pink smoke.

"What?" the woman asked innocently.

"We don't need that anymore!" Sakura screeched. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"I thought I looked pretty," Kakashi said, sounding slightly wounded.

"You look very pretty," Yuiko said. Kakashi's eyes turned upward in a smile as Yuiko reassuringly patted his shoulder.

"That's … not …" Sakura stuttered. She huffed, turning her attention back to the scene below.

Naruto had produced a giant rasenshuriken above his head, its light illuminating the entire ravine in shades of blue and white. Sasuke's Susanoo hovered in the air behind him, readying a flaming black arrow. The pair let their attacks fly, the jutsus momentarily combining into a spinning disk of black fire before coming together into the long narrow form of an arrow.

The tentacles on Black Zetsu's back grasped for the arrow as it flew, but the goo fell away in piles of black flame.

"No!" Black Zetsu shouted, its voice booming over the roar of chakra. "How can they –?!"

An ear-splitting screech pierced the air as the attack tore through Black Zetsu. Its body exploded into three large masses of goo.

The three masses burned with black fire; the group collectively holding their breath. One of the masses exploded in a ball of flame, the other half of the Nine-Tails rising like a phoenix out of its remains. An enormous fist punched itself out of the middle blob and the Eight-Tails teared itself from the black casing with a shout. The last blob quivered for a moment before bursting in a wave of sand. The One-Tail looked about, gazing upon its surroundings in confusion.

 _They did it,_ Kakashi thought, returning to his normal appearance in a cloud of smoke.

Sasuke's Susanoo faded, and Naruto supported his friend on a disc made from one of his Truth-Seeking orbs.

Kakashi's eyes grew soft as he watched Naruto enthusiastically shake Sasuke by the shoulder, a large grin on his face. Sasuke didn't appear to return the enthusiasm, but he also did nothing to stop Naruto's display of joy. Kakashi glanced over to Sakura, who let out a triumphant shout as she punched the air.

 _I really … love you guys,_ Kakashi thought, his eyes turning up in a smile.

"We did it!" Naruto shouted, flying up to them.

Kakashi set his Susanoo down and dismissed it as they set foot in the ravine. The three Tailed Beasts approached, the One and Eight-Tails looking a little shaken as they loomed over them. Sasuke walked among what was left of the goo, setting it ablaze in black fire before rejoining the group.

"We can finally celebrate!" Naruto continued, flashing the group a thumbs-up.

"You're right!" Sakura chirped. "The first thing I want is a hot bath to wash away all this grime."

"And I'm kind of hungry," Yuiko said, pointing to herself.

"Oh yeah, me too!" Sakura replied, nodding. "I could really — Wait a second!" she shouted, flailing her arms wildly. "What about us?! How are we supposed to get out of here?!"

Naruto flung his hands on his head at the sudden realization, pulling at his hair. "You're right! This is bad! What do we do?!"

The group stood in awkward silence, scanning each others faces to see if anyone had an idea.

"Minato might try coming back, after a while," Yuiko said, sounding doubtful. The statement was met with a collective mumble of acknowledgement.

"Well," Kakashi said, "I _might_ be able to open up another portal using the kamui, but I don't think I could hold it long enough for everyone to get through before I reach my chakra limit."

Naruto beamed. "If all you need is chakra, Kakashi-Sensei, then we got it covered! Right guys?"

Naruto stepped up to Kakashi, firmly planting a hand on his shoulder. Red chakra flowed from Naruto's hand as it started to envelop his Sensei.

"Let's go home, Kakashi-Sensei," Sakura said, a green glow surrounding her hand as she grasped his other shoulder.

"My chakra transfer isn't too great, but I'll do my best!" Yuiko said, placing a hand on his back. There was a pause, but Sasuke stepped forward, doing the same.

 _You guys …_ Kakashi thought, watching them tenderly. He took a deep breath and raised his eyes to look ahead. The remaining tailed beasts had joined them now, watching the display from a distance.

 _I'm going to need to make a portal large enough for all of them to get through, too. Let's hope Obito and I can hold out._

"Kamui!"

A vortex opened a few feet ahead, the group bracing themselves slightly to contest its pull. Kakashi narrowed his eyes, fighting to concentrate on his destination. His thoughts landed on Minato, and the way his Sensei smiled warmly as he told the group that he believed in them.

The black void of the vortex warped and shimmered, and suddenly four figures were visible on the other side. The four reanimated Hokage turned toward the vortex, watching it in awe.

"I hope you all were serious about lending me your chakra," Kakashi grunted. "Because now is when I'm going to need it."

"Go for it, Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto grinned.

Kakashi cried out against the strain, the vortex tearing at the air as it steadily grew larger. Sakura and Naruto had both hands on Kakashi's arms now, holding him in place as the portal's pull grew stronger. Naruto looked up in amazement, seeing that he could now almost spot the giant flower atop the divine tree through the large portal.

"Go!" Kakashi shouted.

Naruto turned his head to regard the three Tailed Beasts behind them. "You heard him, guys! Make sure the others are quick!"

The beasts grunted in acknowledgement. The One and Eight-Tails stepped over them, their forms disappearing momentarily before reappearing on the other side.

"Move, all of you!" Kurama barked. The Tailed Beasts on the other side of the portal came forward, Kurama watching them steadily as they disappeared through the vortex. It was the last one to go through, the shinobi watching as the portal's window filled with fiery orange.

"All of you, hang on!" Kakashi shouted. Everyone strengthened their grip as they released the chakra in their feet holding them in place. The group was sucked through the portal, tumbling in darkness for a fraction of a second before hitting the hard earth with a thud. The portal behind them shrunk to a pinprick before disappearing.

The group looked up as a figure approached. Minato stopped before them, beaming.

"Welcome home!"


	83. Chapter 83

Kakashi groaned, opening his eyes. The world around him was a vivid blue, with lights like stars twinkling in all directions. He furrowed his brow in confusion.

"You overexerted yourself a bit," a familiar voice said. Kakashi turned around to regard Obito. He stood before Kakashi, his hair a stark white, as it had been when he died.

"Don't worry, you're not dead," Obito said quickly. "We're still inside your head. I just thought I'd use this opportunity to, uh …" Obito trailed off, unsure. He took a deep breath, raising his eyes.

"I'm going to get going, then," he continued. "I'm glad I was able to help you, and talk to you one more time."

Kakashi couldn't say that he wasn't expecting Obito to leave him. It still hurt, nonetheless.

"Thank you, Obito," he said, his voice soft.

"Don't," Obito said, his eyes dropping in shame. "I really made a mess of things." He forced himself to look back up at Kakashi. "I don't even know what to say to you as a goodbye."

Kakashi regarded him for a moment, closing his eyes as he smiled. "We can part ways as friends," he said. "I can say goodbye to the old you — the one who was always late because you spent so much time helping others. That's good enough for me."

Kakashi opened his eyes, the Obito standing before him now resembling his younger self, wearing his deep blue jacket and orange goggles. He figured that his own appearance must have changed to that of his younger self, considering that he and Obito were the same height.

"Thanks, Kakashi," Obito said, smiling broadly. "I never got to realize my dream of being Hokage, but …" his smile turned coy. "I'm going to leave that up to you."

"Huh?" Kakashi said, surprised. It felt like a lifetime ago, but in reality, it had only been a few weeks since becoming the Hokage had been a real possibility for him. He had dropped the matter from his mind entirely, and wasn't sure how he felt about picking it up again.

"I also told Naruto to become Hokage," Obito said, crossing his arms. "But I meant as the seventh. I think he needs some more guidance — just for a little while, until he's ready."

Kakashi opened his mouth to protest, but the look on Obito's face caused him to stay silent. The way that Obito was regarding him – Kakashi had seen a smile like that before.

' _It's true that not everything we wish for will come to be … but things that we must do, must always begin with a wish,'_ Guy's voice echoed.

' _I feel honored that I have friends, comrades, and a village that are dear enough to my heart to fulfill that purpose.'_

 _Guy,_ Kakashi thought, dropping his gaze. _Your wish to keep those you held dear safe … Is that a wish I can fulfill? Am I really strong enough?_

"Don't worry. I think you've got what it takes," Obito said, grabbing Kakashi's attention. "You've got your friends behind you, and your crazy girlfriend. Oh yeah — tell Yuiko thanks for me too, OK?"

"Yeah, OK," Kakashi said, glad that Obito was off the subject of Hokage. He blinked, looking at his friend with a confused expression. "Wait — crazy?"

Obito laughed, swirling blue flames encasing his body. "It's time to go, I think. I've been keeping Rin waiting long enough."

The emotion drained from Kakashi's face as he tried to hide his disappointment. "Do you have an excuse ready?"

"I don't need one this time," Obito said cheerfully. "She's the one who asked me to give you guys a hand, after all."

"I see," Kakashi said, lowering his gaze. Obito disappeared as the flames dispersed.

Everything went black, and Kakashi felt a sensation in his stomach similar to dropping from a great height. He opened his eyes to the real world, noting that the vision in his left eye had once again gone dark. As Obito's chakra drained from his body, he suddenly felt incredibly heavy.

He weakly tried to lift himself from the ground.

"Careful, Sensei," Sakura said. She sat to one side of him, her hands encased in a glowing green light over his stomach. Yuiko sat on the other, watching him with a concerned expression.

"I'm alright, Sakura," Kakashi said, pushing himself into a sitting position. "Thank you."

Kakashi tried to stand, but failed. Yuiko positioned herself next to him and flung his arm around her shoulder as she lifted them up. He smiled at her gratefully.

Yuiko seemed to notice the lack of the sharingan pattern in his eyes. "He's gone, then?" she asked.

"Ah," Kakashi nodded. "As of today, Kakashi of the Sharingan is no more."

Yuiko seemed to find his statement amusing, despite the somber tone to his voice.

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I think you're going to have plenty more nicknames after today," she said, grinning at him.

Kakashi's eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. Yuiko looked away, her eyes growing wide.

"I want to formally introduce you to someone," she said excitedly as she began to guide him.

It was easy to tell who she was talking about — Kokuō's enormous frame took up nearly all of Kakashi's vision as they got closer. The beast lowered its head as they approached.

Yuiko reached out her hand to gently pet Kokuō's muzzle. "I'd like to introduce you to Kokuō," Yuiko said, looking at the beast lovingly.

Kokuō moved its head until one of its large, piercing blue eyes was level with Kakashi. He recoiled slightly, staring at his reflection in Kokuō's pupil. After what he had just gone through, being around the Tailed Beasts wasn't enough to bother him. But the way that Kokuō was regarding him made him feel like he was being dissected. Kokuō's nostrils expanded, clouds of steam flowing over the two them.

"Kokuō," Yuiko said, her voice stern. Kakashi thought that may have been a natural gesture, but Yuiko's tone suggested otherwise.

"Yuiko and I could feel each other's emotions," Kokuō's voice boomed, keeping its eye fixed on Kakashi. "That's how it had always been. Every feeling of happiness, sadness, fear, and pain. I could feel it all — including the time when you broke her heart."

"Kokuō!" Yuiko shouted. Her face was flushed in embarrassment, and it looked like she was about to lay into the beast when Kakashi squeezed her shoulder. Yuiko looked between them with an uncertain expression.

"It's true," Kakashi said, keeping his gaze fixed on the beast. "I can't deny that I hurt her. And in doing so, I hurt you. I made a lot of mistakes in my life, some that I can't fix. However, I think this is one that I can — or at least I'll spend my entire life trying."

Both of his companions stared at him. Yuiko's face had turned a bright shade of pink and she seemed to be having trouble handling the fine balance between joy and embarrassment. Kokuō regarded Kakashi coolly, its eye shifting to focus on Yuiko. "Does he make you happy, little mouse?"

Yuiko slowly took her gaze off Kakashi, turning to Kokuō. She smiled, nodding curtly.

Kokuō's gaze softened, turning its head to nuzzle the two of them with its nose. "I'm glad you'll have someone to look out for you," Kokuō said, raising its head up. "I was worried; in the past, all I had wanted was to be free from being inside a jinchūriki, and return to the forest — one as far away and secluded as possible. But that changed with you. I wanted to protect you, and to keep you safe, always."

"I can do that for myself now," Yuiko said brightly, looking up at the beast. "I'll have my friends here to look out for me, too. And, I'll miss you a lot … but I don't want to keep you from your home."

"You are my home, little mouse," Kokuō said gently. "I'll just be going on a trip for a short while. I promise I won't forget to write."

Yuiko laughed, looking up at Kokuō fondly.

Naruto's animated voice drifted through the air. Yuiko turned about slightly to see that he was hurriedly talking to Minato.

Minato, along with all of the other previous Kage, seemed to be encased in a glowing, white light. Yuiko's eyes widened; she recognized the meaning behind it having experienced the reanimation jutsu herself.

Kakashi looked over to Yuiko, noting the sad expression on her face.

"You should go to him," he said gently.

Yuiko shook her head. "No. I already made my peace with Minato. I don't want to take this moment with this son away from him."

"I wasn't talking about Minato-Sensei."

Yuiko turned her eyes to Kakashi as a lump formed in her throat. She swallowed, the familiar feeling of anxiousness rising from her gut. "I don't think … I don't think he would want me there."

Kakashi lowered his arm from around Yuiko's shoulders, giving her a slight shove. She glared at him, and then turned back toward Naruto. She took a deep breath, clutching her hands to her chest as she timidly stepped forward.

—

"I just turned 17 today," Naruto said, squeezing his eyes tight in an unsuccessful attempt to keep himself composed. He racked his brain, trying to recall everything that he wanted his father to pass on to his mother when they met again in the afterlife. It was overwhelming, trying to fit a lifetime's worth of messages into a few short minutes.

"... So I don't know much about alcohol, or girls, like mom warned me about. And I … um …" Tears were streaming down his face and his chest felt tight. A mountain of words tumbled through his brain, but he seemed to be losing track of all of them.

 _I'm running out of time. I'm running out of —_

Naruto suddenly felt a slight weight on his shoulder. He looked over to see Yuiko smiling at him.

 _She looks like a mess,_ Naruto thought, internally laughing when he tried to imagine how bad _he_ must have looked.

Naruto grinned, turning back to his dad with a new sense of vigor. "Pervy Sage taught me a lot of things, and so did Yuiko. Make sure mom knows they did a good job." Naruto's smile widened. "Not everything Mom told me about went well, but I'm doing my best! I've got dreams, too! I'm going to become an even greater Hokage than you someday! I swear I will!"

Naruto dropped his gaze, closing his eyes tightly as his hands started to tremble. Yuiko wrapped her arms around him, holding him as his tears soaked into her jacket. Naruto returned the hug, causing Yuiko to expel a puff of air from her nose from the intensity.

"Tell her that she doesn't have to worry about me," Naruto croaked. "Tell her that I'm doing my best!"

Minato smiled, the ashes of his body like falling snow as they drifted away. "I'll make sure to tell her everything," he said, smiling at his son. Naruto released Yuiko from his grip, wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve.

"I noticed something a while back," Minato said, smiling coyly as Yuiko's eyes rose to meet his. "Some time after you came to the village, Kakashi started to fold over the corners of the pages in his books with such precision. He had never done that before, and you were the only other person I had ever seen do it that way." He quickly glanced to where Kakashi was standing before looking back to regard her tenderly. "The two of you seem close now."

Yuiko blushed, and Minato's grin grew wider. He looked between her and Naruto, his son regarding him with a bittersweet expression. "I'm proud of the people you've become. I couldn't have asked for anything more." He smiled, reaching his hand out to ruffle his son's hair.

"Happy birthday, Naruto."

Minato's body dissolved into a pile of ash. Naruto and Yuiko looked up at Minato's spirit as it floated into the sky. His image dissolved, leaving the two of them standing together as dawn broke.


	84. Chapter 84

"So, the genjutsu" Yuiko said, turning to Naruto. Naruto continued to regard the sunrise for a moment before meeting her gaze.

"How do you undo it?"

Naruto beamed. "Easy!" he said. "Six Paths Super-Gramps said before that since I have the chakra of all the Tailed Beasts, and Sasuke has the rinnegan, we just have to make the sign for 'rat' and the genjutsu is broken!"

 _Thank goodness it's that simple,_ Yuiko thought. _I'm starving. And I don't think I've ever needed a shower more in my entire life._

A shock wave suddenly pulsed through the ground below them. The earth split, creating boulders that began to rise into the sky.

Yuiko pooled chakra into her feet to stay balanced as the ground beneath her started to levitate. "What is this?" she shouted.

Naruto stood next to her, a stern expression on his face as he stared below. Yuiko followed his gaze and frowned when she noticed Sasuke standing motionless with his hands clasped together.

 _Is this him? What the hell is he doing?_

"Kurama!" Naruto shouted, grabbing Yuiko's attention. Naruto leapt between the floating boulders, headed toward a cluster of rocks where a large, orange claw feebly tried to scratch its way out.

Yuiko's head whipped about. She looked above her as the last glimpse of a long, white tail disappeared into a sphere of stone.

"Kokuō!" she cried in anguish.

"Yuiko!"

Yuiko looked below, unable to make out anything among the rubble hovering in the air. Her resolve was torn as she looked back up at the floating sphere, gritting her teeth. She turned away and leapt from boulder to boulder toward the ground below. The patch of dirt she landed in thankfully appeared to be staying put. She glanced up at the sky again, studying the nine massive stone orbs floating above before bringing her attention before her. Sasuke stood with his back to her a few yards away on a small pedestal of stone.

Yuiko pooled chakra into her feet and broke into a silent run. She kept her attention locked on the back of Sasuke's head as she approached. Reaching into her front pocket she felt the last of her exploding tags. They would probably do next to nothing to hurt Sasuke, but if she could distract him, maybe it would disrupt the jutsu.

Yuiko whipped her hand out of her pocket, channeling chakra into the paper as she got closer.

"Yuiko!"

Something wrapped about Yuiko's free hand and pulled her to an abrupt stop. She turned on her heel, her eyes growing wide as she stared at Kakashi. He was breathing heavily, his eyes half-closed; he seemed to be barely holding on to consciousness. Sakura ran to meet them, and Yuiko's stomach turned in guilt when she realized Kakashi had used up more of his already depleted chakra to catch up with her.

Yuiko looked back at Sasuke. He had turned to face them, wearing a condescending expression.

Yuiko flinched from the cold detachment of his stare; he regarded them with the same eyes that Danzō and her grandfather had. She recognized the look of someone who didn't even acknowledge you as a person.

The exploding tags fluttered to the ground as Yuiko released them from her grip. Kakashi's hold on her wrist loosened. Yuiko moved to stand next to him, once again putting his arm over her shoulders for support.

 _What's happening?_ she thought. _Why is Sasuke acting this way all of a sudden?_

Naruto suddenly dropped from the sky, planting himself in front of Sasuke. "Let the Tailed Beasts go," he said firmly. "They've finally gained their freedom; they won't cause any kind of trouble anymore."

"That's not happening," Sasuke said flatly. "I only need their power to undo the genjutsu, then I can get rid of them. But before that, I'll kill you and that woman to eliminate their stray chakra."

Yuiko could feel Kakashi tense next to her. "Sasuke, what is this?" he whispered.

Sasuke paused, turning slowly to face his former Sensei. "I want to destroy and rebuild," he said. "I want to create a village no longer shrouded in darkness. This world will stand united against me, like they have before against the Akatsuki. But to do that, I can't have any obstacles in my way."

Yuiko couldn't see Naruto's expression from behind, but his entire body tensed as he balled his hands into fists. "Killing the Tailed Beasts," Naruto said, his voice stern. "... and killing Yuiko. You know I won't let you do that, right?"

Sasuke regarded Naruto, his eyes narrowing. "I figured I'd have to deal with you first." He turned, walking away from him casually. "Let's take this elsewhere. You know why."

"Wait, Sasuke!" Kakashi cried, letting go of Yuiko's shoulders. He collapsed, landing on all fours in a cloud of dirt.

Yuiko looked down at Kakashi, startled by the level of anguish in his voice. She lifted her head to watch Sasuke. A dust cloud obscured his figure as he strode away. When it cleared, Yuiko could see Noboru, his light brown hair blowing in the breeze as his figure retreated.

 _This isn't … this isn't right._

Yuiko stepped forward. "Why did you save me?"

Sasuke stopped. Naruto's head snapped around to look at her with eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"You saved my life twice," Yuiko said, continuing to approach. Naruto reached out his hand as she passed, but Yuiko phased through it. "But you didn't do it for me."

Sasuke didn't move as Yuiko drew closer. She came to a halt when she was within arm's reach, staring at the back of his head. "You saved me for Naruto's sake," she whispered.

Sasuke turned his head, peering at her from over his shoulder. "I don't remember asking for your opinion," he said slowly. Yuiko fought the urge to drop her eyes from his stare.

 _He's going to kill me._

"You don't have to …" Yuiko said, her voice trailing off. It was becoming increasingly hard for her to keep her composure. "You said that you want to start over, but—" Yuiko swallowed hard, "but, you should have more faith in your home."

Sasuke slowly turned to face her, watching her indifferently. "If I knew you were going to be this annoying, I would have let you burn to death."

It happened so fast that Yuiko almost missed it. Her chakra felt like it was nearly sucked dry as her Dōjutsu Seal kicked in. Whatever genjutsu Sasuke tried to hit her with felt like it was trying to squeeze the air out of her lungs. Yuiko's knees shook in her effort to remain on her feet.

"I'm not doing this for you," she wheezed. Sasuke frowned. The squeezing effect on Yuiko's lungs increased. She gasped as she struggled to take in air.

"Stop it!" Sakura shouted, coming up behind Yuiko. "Leave her alone! She doesn't have anything to do with this!"

Yuiko took in a deep breath of air, falling to her knees as the crushing sensation ceased. Sasuke's gaze slowly shifted to Sakura.

"Neither do you," he said flatly.

Pain flashed behind Sakura's eyes. There was something buried, and precious, that she had held on to for so, so long. But that precious thing – that bit of hope, and love, snapped. It was swallowed up by anger, and an emptiness so deep that she felt like she could fall forever if she allowed it.

Sakura grit her teeth, her hands shaking as she balled them in to fists.

"Like hell this isn't about me!" she shouted. She stalked toward him, ignoring Naruto as he called her name.

"Who the hell do you even think you are, huh?! You're not even special!"

Sasuke stood his ground, watching Sakura passively as she roughly grabbed the collar of his shirt in one hand while brandishing a fist in the other.

"That power that was given to you wasn't even what we needed to beat Black Zetsu!" Sakura continued. "It was us! It was all of us, working together, that saved the world!"

Sakura pulled back her fist, but paused. Her hand shook as tears started to run down her face. "I'm done … I'm done crying over you," she said, her voice wavering. Sakura released her grip on Sasuke, roughly shoving him away.

"I've been suffering all this time from loving you," Sakura said, her voice firm. "So just end it!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Naruto and that woman are the only ones here who need to die," he stated.

Sakura let out a strained laugh. "And you call Naruto an idiot," she said. Her eyes shone with tears, but they didn't betray her defiance. "You're the idiot if you think that I will ever leave you to do whatever you want. You're going to have to kill me too if you want that stupid, perfect village of yours."

Sakura felt a weight on her shoulder.

"It's alright, Sakura," Naruto said, keeping his eyes on Sasuke. "I can do this. I made a promise to bring Sasuke back to the village, and keeping my promises is part of my ninja way."

Sasuke studied Sakura warily. He glanced at Naruto briefly before turning and disappearing in a flicker.

"I was lying before, when I told you that you didn't have to keep that promise," Sakura said, staring at the spot Sasuke had been. "But I'm not lying now."

Naruto watched her sadly, giving Sakura's shoulder a squeeze. "It's a promise I made to myself, too," he said. "So I'm gonna keep it, no matter what."

Sakura let out a deep sigh before meeting his gaze. "Alright, let's go."

"No," Naruto said, his voice firm. "Help Yuiko and Kakashi-Sensei," he continued, looking over her shoulder.

Sakura turned to regard her other companions. Yuiko had been able to push herself up on her hands and knees, but her breathing was nothing more than a strained wheeze. Kakashi was trying unsuccessfully to stand as he watched Yuiko with a worried expression.

"Please, Sakura."

Sakura kept her gaze averted, but nodded weakly. The weight lifted from her shoulder. She turned her head to regard Naruto, but he was already gone.


	85. Chapter 85

"You should get some rest," Kakashi said.

"I'm fine."

Kakashi's eyebrows drooped. He could easily pick up the strained wheezing of Yuiko's breath from where he sat on her back. She sounded much better than before, but she wasn't yet anywhere near full health.

Sakura had siphoned all the chakra she could spare between the two of them before passing out from exhaustion. Yuiko and Kakashi had watched over her, but Sakura awoke again after only three hours of a fitful sleep. She urged the two of them to stay put, and slowly made her way toward where they could sense the massive amount of chakra being let off by Naruto and Sasuke.

Yuiko had heeded her advice for a while, but as night fell Kakashi could no longer convince her not to follow. Yuiko had regained enough energy to walk, and no matter how much he urged her to sit, she insisted on pacing back and forth before finally deciding to head out.

Kakashi's logic on why going after the others was a terrible idea fell on deaf ears. Yuiko was beside herself in worry, and Kakashi recognized that there was nothing he could do to stop her. In the end, he decided that going along was ultimately better than allowing her to go alone. And so, she had lifted him onto her back and they'd set off at a slow gait.

After a few hours they found themselves deep in the thickly forested area surrounding the battlefield. However, they had yet to pick up any signs of chakra. Kakashi glanced down at Yuiko again, noting the beading of sweat on her brow.

"We're stopping."

Kakashi pushed himself off Yuiko's back. He wobbled on his feet for a moment before quickly lowering himself to the forest floor. Yuiko turned to study him with an annoyed expression.

"Please, Yuiko."

Yuiko glanced into the forest, then back at Kakashi. She lowered her eyes and reluctantly sat down beside him.

"You need to recoup your chakra," Kakashi said softly. "Naruto and Sakura might not …" He trailed off, gazing into nothing.

"You think … we'll have to fight Sasuke?" Yuiko asked.

Kakashi lowered his eyes, uncertain. "I have faith in them," he said slowly. "But if the worse happens, Sasuke will come after you. In fact, it might be better if you left. You're talented when it comes to keeping yourself hidden, so you might be able to evade him long enough for him to give up on finding you."

Yuiko bristled. "I won't run," she said firmly. Kakashi looked up at her, furrowing his brow.

"I'm tired of running," she continued, bunching her pants' material in her hands. "I ran for too long."

Kakashi stared at her, a melancholy look growing over his face.

"I don't want to lose you again," he said softly. Yuiko raised her hand, gripping at the material of her jacket above her chest.

"I don't want to lose myself, either," she said, smiling gently. "But that's why I can't run."

Kakashi lowered his gaze, staring at the ground.

"And if all of you die," he said, "it would be my fault. All of this is happening due to my shortcomings as a teacher. If I had been able to reach Sasuke, to pull him out of the darkness, this never would have happened."

"Kakashi …" Yuiko said, her smile fading.

"I just couldn't … connect with him," Kakashi said. He picked up a small leaf by its stem, spinning it between his fingers. "He was already so far gone by the time he came to me. I could see him slipping away, but I didn't know what to do. I thought if I put as much of my focus on him as I could, maybe he would let go of his anger and start to see things the way I did. I had people around me to help bring me out of the depths, and I thought that Naruto, Sakura, and I would be enough to do the same. But I was wrong. I couldn't stop him. I was worthless as a teacher."

Kakashi opened his hand, letting the leaf drift to the ground.

"How could you think that?" Yuiko said, watching him in disbelief. "You can't blame yourself for not being able to help someone who didn't want to be saved."

Kakashi shook his head. "I didn't want to be saved, either," he said. "But the people around me drug me back despite my best efforts. They made me realize that I was precious to them." Kakashi raised his eyes to meet hers. "I failed at being able to convey those feelings. I was too scared to show how much he meant to me; how much any of them meant to me."

"You don't think they know?"

Kakashi's brow furrowed. Yuiko smiled softly.

"When I first saw Naruto again after I'd left the village," she said, "he told me that he had felt resentful toward the people surrounding him before. But it was you, Sakura, and Sasuke that brought him around. You saved him, Kakashi. And to help shape someone like Naruto … I think that's pretty far from worthless."

Yuiko's smile widened. "You think you didn't do anything, but you did. The reason Naruto and Sakura are fighting to bring Sasuke home right now is because of the bond you helped instill in them. It was because of you encouraging your team to work together and care about one another, just like you told Noboru and me."

Kakashi sighed. "That's not a great example," he said, watching her coolly.

"Noboru brought me back, after I died," Yuiko said, sadness flashing behind her eyes.

Kakashi's eyes widened. Yuiko fought back the tightness forming in her throat. "Noboru brought me back," she repeated, "and I think … I think he sacrificed himself to do so. He gave everything he had to help me. Naruto and Sakura are doing the same for Sasuke."

Silence fell between them. Kakashi stared at the ground, lost in thought. As nice as Yuiko's words sounded, they didn't help to make the guilt churning in his gut disappear. She may have been right about the bond holding his students together, but if that bond meant Naruto and Sakura sacrificing themselves for Sasuke's sake, then perhaps he had made a mistake instilling those values.

 _Was it a mistake, before?_

The voice in his head sounded suspiciously like his old sensei. Kakashi couldn't help to admit that, no, it hadn't been a mistake before when it had been Obito and Rin, or Noboru and Yuiko. All he could do now was hope that it would continue to be the right decision.

Kakashi was brought out of his daze as Yuiko slowly rose to her feet. Kakashi did the same, and repositioned himself on her back before they set off again.

The pair traveled in silence for some time; Kakashi's position on Yuiko's back was a little uncomfortable due to their height difference, but he found the warmth of her body calming and he began drifting in and out of consciousness. It was just as he was about to fall asleep when Yuiko spoke again.

"Kakashi?"

"Hmm?"

"What happened during the war? I missed … a lot."

Kakashi's eyes opened marginally. "This probably isn't a good time to talk about it."

"Kakashi," Yuiko said firmly.

Kakashi stared at the back of her head, calculating. "I can't say for sure," he said truthfully. "Obito's jutsu brought a lot of people back to life, but I don't know the extent."

Yuiko nodded. Kakashi hoped she was going to drop the subject when she spoke up again. "So everyone's alright? Other than the genjutsu, obviously."

A painful, empty feeling grew in Kakashi's chest. He considered lying to her, but that only made the pain worse.

Kakashi lowered his eyes. "Guy opened up the last of the Eight Gates," he said softly. "He sacrificed himself for all of us."

He knew that his explanation wasn't entirely true: Naruto had saved Guy from the effects of the inner gates only for Black Zetsu to quickly dash his efforts. But that was a detail that he was going to make sure every member of Team 7 took to their grave if he could.

Yuiko stopped. She stared at the ground, unmoving.

"But then Obito brought him back," she stated, her voice hardly above a whisper. "Then he was OK?"

Kakashi dropped his head, looking away.

"He's fine, right?" Yuiko said, her voice rising. "Guy's fine. He's always fine! He's so strong, he wouldn't —"

Kakashi glanced over to see that she had turned her head to regard him. Her eyes grew wide in alarm.

"How?"

"Yuiko, please don't —"

"How, Kakashi?"

Yuiko knew. He could tell in her eyes that she did. Whether she had some buried recollection of what happened while she was in Black Zetsu, or if she had used simple deduction to figure out that Guy died sometime after Obito, he wasn't sure. She knew, but just needed his confirmation. Giving it to her was the last thing in the world he wanted to do.

"Naruto and Sasuke had been badly hurt," he said slowly. "They needed time to recover, and Guy gave them that. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."

Kakashi wobbled precariously as Yuiko fell to her knees. She released his legs, and he awkwardly gained his balance to take a step back. Yuiko let out a soft whine as she lowered her head to the ground. Kakashi watched her with a forlorn expression as she sobbed. He reached out to put his hand on her back, but Yuiko recoiled from his touch.

"It should have been me," Yuiko said, slowly shaking her head. "If I was stronger, Black Zetsu couldn't have controlled me. If I had been useless to it, and it had just killed me instead, then maybe Guy would be —"

"Don't you dare," Kakashi said, his voice growing dangerously soft. Yuiko couldn't help but to look at him then. He looked furious.

"Don't you dare undermine the sacrifice he made! When I said he did it for all of us, that includes you. How do you think it would make him feel if he heard that you wanted to die in his stead?"

"Kakashi," Yuiko said slowly. "I didn't mean —"

"That spandex-wearing idiot," Kakashi said, breaking their gaze. He stared off into the distance as his fury dissipated. He seemed to deflate, a melancholy look falling over his face. "I'll never be able to beat him now, you know. He set the bar unreachably high."

Yuiko wiped her face with shaking fingers. "It— It's my fault. I'm so-sorry Ka—"

"Stop it," Kakashi said firmly. "You're not responsible for anything Black Zetsu did."

Yuiko fell silent, staring at the ground. Kakashi knew she didn't believe him, and that it would probably take some time before she did.

"Guy cared deeply for his friends and for his village," Kakashi said softly. "He would be overjoyed to know you're alive."

Yuiko didn't speak. Kakashi sighed. He looked back at her with a tired expression. "I think he would tell me that I'm wasting my youth spending so much time looking back. I'm beginning to realize that isn't healthy."

Yuiko raised her eyes, watching him wearily.

"I need to start looking forward," he said, almost to himself.

 _Guy was willing to give everything for the future. Maybe it's time for me to do the same. I may never be able to catch up, but I can try. He is my 'Eternal Rival', after all._

"Guy never thought I was weird," Yuiko said softly, catching his attention. He watched her as she laboriously pushed herself to her feet.

"And he was always so … happy," she continued. "I wanted to be just like him when I was younger."

"Hopefully not _just_ like him," Kakashi joked. There was a semblance of a smile on Yuiko's face before it disappeared.

"We'll go after the others after we get some rest," Kakashi said. "We might still be of some help. Our youth hasn't faded just yet."

—

"What is it?"

Yuiko had stopped dead in her tracks. She whipped around to look behind them. The sun had come up only moments before, and she seemed to be staring in to the new shadows forming among the trees.

"Kokuō," she said softly. Kakashi furrowed his brow.

"Give me a minute," she said. Kakashi released his grip from around her shoulders and Yuiko gingerly set him down. She leapt up into the trees, quickly disappearing among the foliage.

A few minutes ticked by, and Kakashi was growing concerned when Yuiko suddenly popped back in to view. She was regarding him with a stunned expression as she jumped from the tree.

"What is it?" he asked.

"The flower," Yuiko said. "It just … started falling over."

Kakashi's eyes widened. "Do you think that means the genjutsu was undone?"

"Maybe," she said. "The orbs holding the beasts are gone, too. And I can feel Kokuō's chakra again."

Kakashi nodded. "Let's keep going."

Yuiko lifted Kakashi up again and they continued on their way. After only a few minutes of walking, Yuiko's pace quickened.

"You can sense them?" Kakashi asked.

"Smell them."

Kakashi nodded. He could understand Yuiko's distress; the iron smell of blood suddenly hung in the air. It was faint, luckily, which helped at least a little for him to keep his worry at a minimum.

Voices drifted through the forest. Yuiko let out a relieved sound when it was clear that they belonged to Naruto and Sakura. They came across a clearing, Yuiko coming to a stop at its edge.

Sakura's hands were encased in a green aura as they hovered over Naruto's right arm. His arm was an odd shade of purple, and the fingers twitched periodically as Sakura worked.

"Ow! Hey, come on!" Naruto yelped.

"Would you just shut up?!" Sakura snapped. "I'm stitching nerves together, you idiot. I need to concentrate!"

"Yeah, but –" Naruto let out an undignified squeak in pain.

Naruto's arm wasn't the only thing in poor shape. He looked like he had been beaten within an inch of his life. His left eye was swollen shut, and Kakashi was pretty sure he was now missing at least three teeth.

Kakashi's gaze shifted to the other side of the clearing, focusing on where Sasuke sat against a tree.

Sasuke was regarding Naruto and Sakura with a blank expression. However bad Naruto looked, Sasuke was worse. Bruising covered his face, including a prominent purple splotch over his nose that indicated it had probably been broken. Kakashi looked on in shock when he noted that most of Sasuke's left arm was gone. A tourniquet had been tied around what was left of his upper arm, a small stain of blood leaking through. It most certainly wasn't the worst injury Kakashi had seen, but losing a limb was detrimental, none the less. And yet, Sasuke seemed to be acting as if the injury meant nothing at all.

Kakashi followed Sasuke's gaze to look back at Naruto and Sakura. The two of them were squabbling again; Sakura threatening to let his arm rot if he didn't stop whining. Naruto complained that Sakura was being unfair, and asked Sasuke for confirmation. Sasuke shrugged.

"Kakashi?"

Kakashi looked down. Yuiko was watching him with a worried expression.

 _Why is she –?_

Something fell from his face onto her hair. Kakashi raised his hand, wiping the tear from his cheek. He regarded the wetness on his fingers with a thoughtful expression.

"Do you think he's really …?" Yuiko's question died in uncertainty as she turned her head to look back at Sasuke.

"I hope so."

Yuiko shifted slightly, but didn't make a move to step forward.

"Naruto _has_ been known to work miracles," Kakashi added.

Yuiko chuckled, shaking her head.

"Maybe now things can finally go back normal," she said.

Kakashi's gaze drifted from his students to look at Yuiko. He hoped she wouldn't mind too much when things didn't exactly pan out that way.


	86. Chapter 86

"Checkmate," Yamato said, placing his piece down on the shōgi board.

Yuiko's face twisted in frustration.

"We can play something else, if you want," Yamato said quickly, removing the pieces from the board. They sat cross-legged on his hospital bed; Yuiko had suggested playing the game while she kept him company. She had lost every round so far.

"No!" Yuiko shouted, trying to grab the board from him as he pulled it away. "I can do it! I'll win next time!"

Yamato laughed, swinging his legs off the bed as he put the game on his nightstand. "You're new to the game; it's hard to figure out how to win at first," he said.

"I've played this game since I was a kid," Yuiko said, confused.

"O-oh!" Yamato stuttered, looking to change the subject. "I appreciate you keeping me company and all, but don't you need to get going?"

Yuiko stiffened, and she tried to look just about anywhere other than Yamato's eyes. "Yeah, I guess so," she said, sounding defeated.

"It's all going to work out, OK?" Yamato said cheerfully. "Things are going to be … different, but it will be fine."

Yuiko shot him a skeptical look. She stood up and stretched out her arms. "Any update on when you're getting out of here?" she asked.

"Lady Tsunade wants to keep me for a few more tests, but hopefully I'll be back home soon," Yamato said.

Yamato's chakra had been nearly sucked dry while he was the Akatsuki's prisoner. He had been back in Konoha for almost two weeks now, and although he was mostly recovered, Lady Tsunade wanted to conduct additional tests to make sure his body was clear of any influence from White Zetsu. All the results had come back negative on that aspect — so far, at least — but she wanted to be cautious. This meant Yamato was stuck in the hospital with a lot of free time.

"You don't sound too excited about going home," Yuiko said snidely. She ran her fingers along the mostly empty shelf near the door in an attempt to appear casual. Her efforts were undermined by the smug grin taking over her face.

"Uh huh" Yamato said, raising an eyebrow. "And what makes you say that?"

Yuiko slid the door open. "Before I go, the nurses asked me to tell you something."

Yamato put his chin on his palm, putting on a bored expression. Yuiko's idea of being coy was to draw things out as much as possible. Appearing uninterested usually prompted her to pick up the pace.

"The nurses said there's a bunch of supplies kept in the third-floor closet that they have to get to pretty often," Yuiko said matter-of-factly. "They would appreciate it if you and Anko moved your 'meetings' to the fourth-floor one. They don't need to get in there as much."

Yamato turned a deep shade of pink. Yuiko's face split into a grin as she slid the door closed behind her. She heard Yamato mutter something on the other side as she skipped down the hallway. Embarrassing Yamato was a difficult task, and it wasn't often that Yuiko was blessed with an opportunity to do so.

She was able to keep the smile on her face and a spring in her step up until she exited the hospital. Her stroll slowed to a stop as she watched several groups of people pass by. Children laughed from their parents' shoulders, and the thrum of excitement emanating from the crowd was infectious. Yuiko's hands unconsciously found their way to her side, where they bunched up the material of her pants as they turned into fists. She took a deep breath, joining the crowd.

—

"Finally, there you are!" Tsunade exclaimed as Kakashi exited the door onto the rooftop. Cheers floated up from the crowd gathered in the courtyard below, Kakashi waving bashfully as he crossed the distance toward Tsunade. It was a clear day; the sun was shining down merrily as they stood atop the remodeled Konoha Hokage Tower.

Kakashi was wearing the traditional white robe and diamond-shaped hat of the Hokage. It was a garment that successfully countered the core value Kakashi possessed when it came to his clothing: standing out. He had every intention of changing out of it the second he was out of the limelight.

"He looks so youthful!" Rock Lee choked, tears running down his cheeks as he watched Kakashi pass before him.

 _Lee's like a father seeing his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time,_ Kakashi thought, a little self-conscious. _Although with this attire it may not be far off._

"Please don't be an embarrassment, Lee," Neji Hyūga sighed, crossing his arms as he sat in his wheelchair. TenTen smiled bashfully behind him, hoping that she wouldn't need to play peacekeeper in front of the entire village.

Rock Lee responded to Neji's comment by bending down to wrap his arms around his teammate's shoulders and cry even harder. Neji displayed an amazing level of restraint by only allowing an eyebrow twitch to betray his annoyance.

Neji, along with many of the others who Obito had brought back to life, were confined to wheelchairs or crutches while they recovered from the severe chakra deprivation caused by the Infinite Tsukuyomi — along with the aftereffects of coming back to life, of course.

Kurenai Yūhi stood nearby with her students, a soft smile on her lips as she cradled her newborn daughter. Hinata, Shino, and Kiba were talking among themselves, pausing to regard Kakashi warmly as he walked by.

Ino, Shikamaru, and Chōji were also present, their demeanor a little muted next to their comrades. Obito's reanimation jutsu was unable to reach those who had died in the war outside the battlefield at the Divine Tree, including Ino's and Shikamaru's fathers. Sai and Sakura stood with them, the latter chatting happily about something that elicited weak smiles from the group. Kakashi looked at her fondly, and Sakura turned to meet his gaze.

"Congratulations, Kakashi-Sensei," she chirped, smiling broadly.

"Thank you, Sakura," he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze as he walked past.

Kakashi scanned the familiar faces of his comrades, noting that a handful of important people were missing. Naruto and Tenzō were still confined to the hospital; Lady Tsunade had concluded that they both needed more time to recover before being discharged. And Sasuke was confined to … the dungeon, for lack of a better word. Kakashi knew what to do with him, but it would have to wait until he officially took office.

There was a slight ache, of course, from only seeing one spandex-clad figure going on about the power of youth instead of two, but Kakashi had a feeling that Guy was closer than he seemed.

Then there was Yuiko. He knew that this part was going to be difficult.

She had smiled at him meekly a few days prior when he told her that he was to become the Hokage. She was clearly doing her best to be supportive, but it was obvious that the revelation had thrown her for a loop. She had excused herself then, noting that she didn't want to keep him from the preparations. He had let her walk away without a word, knowing that his becoming Hokage was going to change any plans that she had in her head for the two of them. He had also been unsure of what the future would hold, and it took him a bit of soul searching to decide what would be for the best.

Becoming Hokage was far different from taking on any other job — something Yuiko knew well, having lived with one for nearly two years. Fitting in a courtship around the duties of Hokage would be nearly impossible, and Kakashi felt a little guilty that he had accepted Tsunade's recommendation that he take her place mere hours after she had regained consciousness. But Kakashi couldn't bring himself to turn down bringing Obito's dream to fruition. That, and taking up the mantle of Hokage would be the only thing he could do to even entertain the idea of ever catching up to Guy. Kakashi held firm in this decision, even if it meant dashing any hopes of being able to properly court Yuiko.

"Alright, we'll make this quick," Tsunade said, standing up straight. "There's a lengthy official thing I'm supposed to say when this happens, but I'm more than ready to retire, and I'm in need of a long, long vacation."

Kakashi's attention had already drifted away from the ceremony as he scanned the crowd. After a few minutes of searching, a figure toward the back of the throng caught his eye. Yuiko must have noticed that he'd spotted her, her hand coming up to give him a casual wave. She turned and disappeared behind a wall toward the back of the courtyard.

"... so then there's diplomatic relations — you can read up on that later — and you have to always act in the best interest of the villagers and the Land of Fire, of course," Tsunade said, listing off various items on her fingers. "And that's about it! So now you're —"

"Can this wait a second?" Kakashi asked, holding up a hand.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "I swear I just heard you ask me to wait. But that couldn't have been right."

Kakashi shrugged. "I just need to pop out for a minute."

"You … are you serious?" Tsunade said incredulously.

Kakashi disappeared in a poof of smoke. Tsunade's mouth dropped open as she looked about. She turned and locked eyes with Shizune, who mirrored her stunned expression.

—

"Yo," Kakashi said, sitting casually atop a nearby stone wall. Yuiko jumped as she rounded the corner. Kakashi hopped down, sticking his hands in his pockets as he approached her.

"Uh," Yuiko said, pointing behind her. "Is the ceremony over already?"

"Nope," Kakashi said, his eye upturned as he smiled. He had gone back to wearing his headband to cover his missing eye — a temporary measure as Tsunade grew him another one using a new experimental procedure involving cells from the first Hokage. It wouldn't be a sharingan, but having better depth perception would be important nonetheless.

A few people passed by, throwing confused looks in Kakashi's direction as they made their way to the courtyard. Yuiko seemed to share their puzzlement.

"Are you really slacking off already?" she asked in disbelief.

"Well, I don't officially have the job yet," Kakashi said lightly, "so, technically, no."

Yuiko frowned. "So you just left Lady Tsunade standing up there?"

"Pretty much."

Guilt etched across Yuiko's face. She lowered her eyes, unable to hold Kakashi's gaze. "I'm sorry for not being there," she said softly. "I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around how different things are going to be all of a sudden. You're going to be Hokage, and that's …" She trailed off, nervously fidgeting with her hands.

"I'm being an idiot. I probably won't get to see you much anymore, and I've just been avoiding you. I don't want you to think that I … that I don't …" She looked up at Kakashi with grim determination. "If you want me to come back and support you, I will."

The corner of Kakashi's eye crinkled in a smile. "I'm glad you said that; it should make this easier." He reached down to clasp her hands.

"I want you to marry me."


	87. Chapter 87

"Eh?!" Yuiko exclaimed.

She pulled her hands out of Kakashi's grasp as if he'd burned her. Yuiko's cheeks rapidly grew several shades pinker as she regarded him in shock.

"Hmm. Sorry if that was a little too forward," Kakashi said, frowning as he scratched the side of his face. "I wrote something down that had a bit more to it, but you made me feel kind of bad about keeping Tsunade waiting."

"What — what are you saying?" Yuiko stuttered. "You want me to marry you?! We haven't even gone on a date!"

"I figured we could get to that later," Kakashi said, holding up a finger. "You and I both know that I won't have much time to meet after I take office. But if you marry me, we'll be living together, which will make it a lot easier to see each other. It's efficient, right?"

Yuiko's shoulders stiffened and she very pointedly stared at the ground. Those passing by were giving them curious looks, causing Yuiko to become more flustered.

"I … I don't know if … I mean," Yuiko raised her eyes. Kakashi watched her passively as she fidgeted.

"Do you … do you really ..." she said haltingly. "Are you sure?"

"Of course," he said.

"This … it is …" she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "This is kind of a weird way to propose."

Kakashi tilted his head back. "I guess you did make more of a spectacle when you first told me that you loved me."

"A spectacle?" Yuiko said, flustered. "I didn't —"

Before Yuiko knew what was happening, Kakashi scooped her into his arms, his cloak billowing behind him in a flourish. Yuiko stared up at him, stunned.

"It'll be hard sometimes, for the two of us," Kakashi said softly, looking down at her. "But to me, love is life; love is everything. You've been a part of my life for so long that I can't imagine not having you by my side. Konoha may need me, but I … I need you."

The only thing to distinguish Yuiko's expression from one of absolute terror was the deep blush on her cheeks. She blinked up at Kakashi a few times before finally opening her mouth to speak. "Isn't some of that from 'Make-Out Paradise'?"

Kakashi's eye turned up in a smile. "Ah, you caught me," he said bashfully. "But did it have the desired effect?"

He opened his eye to meet Yuiko's gaze. A soft smile touched her lips, and she nodded.

"So you'll marry me, then?"

Yuiko's smile widened, and she nodded again.

The two of them disappeared in a whirlwind of leaves.

—

"Alright, I'm sending the Anbu to go look for him. I seriously can't believe —"

Tsunade stopped as she caught movement along the guardrail. Kakashi had appeared again, carrying Yuiko in his arms. He strode up to Tsunade, placing Yuiko firmly down on the ground next to him.

Tsunade put her hands on her hips, regarding him with a scowl. "May I continue?" she asked sarcastically.

Kakashi chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, actually ..."

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched. Yuiko grimaced, and Kakashi reached out to snatch her arm as she tried to back away from the fifth Hokage.

"Can you actually marry us before you do that?" he asked.

All sounds of whispers and shuffling on the rooftop immediately ceased. There was a collective cry of surprise from everyone present save for Kakashi.

"Huh?" he said, looking down at Yuiko. "Why are _you_ surprised?"

"Right — right now?" Yuiko squeaked. "I didn't expect us to get married _today_."

Kakashi smiled, clasping her hand. "I want to become Hokage with you by my side," he said. "I love you, Yuiko, and I want to hold onto that feeling with every choice that I make to better this village. Knowing that you stand beside me as my wife makes me feel like I can accomplish anything, including being a great Hokage."

Yuiko's expression grew less apprehensive as she smiled meekly back at him.

"Ka- Kakashi-Sensei!" Sakura gasped. "You finally told her how you feel!"

There was a buzz as everyone on the rooftop started whispering among themselves. Kakashi's expression changed, looking back at Sakura suspiciously. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing!" Sakura squeaked, quickly looking away.

"It couldn't have been _that_ obvious," he said doubtfully.

Everyone suddenly looked away, pointedly trying to avoid meeting Kakashi's gaze. Well, all except for Lee, who was struggling to voice his congratulations while bawling openly.

 _I guess I'm losing my touch,_ Kakashi thought. He felt Yuiko shift next to him, and he turned to see her sheepishly looking up at Tsunade.

"Please, Lady Tsunade," Yuiko said, her voice hardly audible above the murmur from the crowd below (undoubtedly wondering what in the world was going on). "It would be an honor if you married us."

Tsunade let out a deep sigh as she crossed her arms. "Fine, fine. Anything if it will move this along. I haven't done a lot of marriages, so I'm going to paraphrase a bit, if you don't mind." At no objection, she continued. "So, do the two of you wish to marry each other?"

Yuiko and Kakashi nodded, clasping their hands tighter.

"Great! Then you're married!" Tsunade said, grandly clapping her hands above her head.

Kakashi tenderly brought Yuiko closer, and his new wife responded by vigorously yanking him down by the cuff of his jacket with one hand and pulling down his face mask with the other as she brought his face to hers. This caused a few members of the rooftop group to chortle; Kiba brought two fingers to his mouth to let out a playful whistle. Sakura and Ino scrambled to get a better angle as the couple kissed, but were disappointed that the Hokage's hat blocked them from seeing anything.

Yuiko pulled herself away, and Kakashi looked somewhat bewildered as he adjusted his face mask. Yuiko pointedly stared at her feet, her cheeks bright red.

"How fun. I've never been to a wedding before," Sai said. His eyes were turned up in a smile, although his hand was inexplicably flying over a sketchpad he had materialized from somewhere. "This will make a nice portrait, even though Kakashi-Sensei is the one wearing a dress instead of Yuiko. It's very progressive."

"Keep it down!" Tsunade snapped, looking impatiently back at Kakashi. "Now before you say anything else: I declare that Kakashi Hatake is the sixth Hokage of Konohagakure! May you pass on the Will of Fire!"

A cheer rose from the crowd, Kakashi waving sheepishly to the masses below. He tugged Yuiko behind him toward the railing, Yuiko digging her heels into the rooftop when she realized Kakashi had anticipated her urge to flee by fluctuating the flow of chakra through his arm. She fought back a sudden wave of nausea as she looked down at the massive crowd below. Kakashi gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, and Yuiko awkwardly raised her free hand to elicit a mechanical wave.

Thankfully, Kakashi soon pulled her away from the railing and back to where Tsunade had been observing them with a pleased grin. Kakashi reached up and removed the hat from his head, cheerfully handing it to Tsunade.

"What are you doing?" she asked, studying the hat curiously.

"You'll be covering for me, right?" Kakashi said. "I shouldn't be gone for more than two weeks, maybe three. No, let's give it month, just to be safe."

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched again, her grip causing a small crack to appear on the edge of the hat. "And why … would I need to do that?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"I just got married," Kakashi said as if it was obvious. "I'm going on my honeymoon."

The three of them stood in silence.

 _I think she might actually kill him,_ Yuiko thought.

Tsunade bit her lip, her whole eye twitching now as she stared daggers at Kakashi. She glanced to Yuiko, who shrunk under her gaze. The former Hokage's expression softened.

"You meant a lot to Jiraiya, you know," she said reluctantly. She studied the two of them, seemingly already regretting the decision she had yet to voice. "Consider this his wedding present."

"How generous of him!" Kakashi chirped as he wheeled Yuiko away. "A big thanks to you both!"

Kakashi seemed composed, but Yuiko could feel the sweat seeping through the palm of his glove. His gamble had paid off, but just barely.

The pair made their rounds and received congratulations for both their marriage and Kakashi's instatement as Hokage. Kakashi steered Yuiko to the outer stairwell without further delay. After the first few steps, they were out of sight of the rooftop group as the stairway winded down the side of the building to the street blow.

Kakashi let out a deep sigh of relief as he ran his hand through his hair. His social anxiety was nowhere near as bad as Yuiko's, but that had still been far more attention than he was used to.

Kakashi glanced back at Yuiko, who seemed to be lost in thought. He slowed his stride to match hers so they could step in tandem down the stairs. "So, where to?" he asked pleasantly.

Yuiko looked up at him in confusion. "Where what?"

"Where do you want to go for our honeymoon? You've been all over the place, so I want you to pick somewhere you find interesting."

"Hmm," Yuiko pondered, putting her finger to her lips. "I don't know if it matters much. We probably won't leave our room at the inn a lot."

Kakashi froze mid-step, staring at her as she continued the descent.

"I mean, after all those battles," Yuiko continued, "I could just sleep for a whole month straight!"

She laughed at her own joke. Hearing nothing from Kakashi, she looked around, puzzled that he was no longer beside her.

"Are you OK?" Yuiko asked, coming to a stop to look back at him.

"A-Ah," Kakashi stuttered, the blush disappearing from his cheeks as he caught up to her.

"Seriously, though," Yuiko said, squinting her eyes in thought. "If I had to pick, I think I'd want to go back to Yugakure. I've only been there once on a mission, so it wasn't very fun. But they have a lot of nice hot springs, and other things to do, too. And …"

She fiddled with her hands, smiling sheepishly. "And they filmed part of the Make-Out Paradise movie there. I really wanted to see those locations last time, but I was on a mission, and Jiraiya was there, so I didn't want to feed his ego too much, ya know?"

Kakashi's eye turned up as he smiled. "Couldn't have picked a better place myself."

"Really?" Yuiko said, beaming. "I know it's not really exotic, but I think it will be fun."

"It's perfect," he said, looking at her tenderly. Yuiko blushed, the two of them walking in silence as they reached the bottom steps.

"I have a few loose ends I need to tie up," Kakashi said as they stepped onto the street. "Go home and pack, and I'll meet you at the hospital around three this afternoon."

"It won't take me _that_ long to get ready ..." Yuiko said, thinking of her pitifully small wardrobe. "And the hospital?"

Yuiko's eyes widened at the realization. "Naruto's probably going to hear about this before this afternoon, though."

"Possibly," Kakashi said, waving casually as he walked away. "But I've got something else arranged that I think you'll want to be a part of."

—

Yuiko opened the door to the hospital courtyard. The large, grassy square sported a number of trees and benches, and she found her target sitting on a bench near the opposite wall.

Naruto sat with his head bent over a book, a tall stack of reading materials at his side. Kakashi and Iruka walked toward her, speaking pleasantly. Iruka's expression brightened as their paths crossed.

"Congratulations, Yuiko," he said. "I'm sorry I missed the ceremony — I had quite a bit of preparation I needed to get done today."

"Sorry about that, by the way," Kakashi chuckled.

"Don't worry about it," Iruka said, shaking his head slightly. "It's all for a good cause."

Kakashi had filled her in on said 'good cause' when they met earlier at the hospital gates. It was a plan he had started formulating soon after returning to Konoha. It was originally going to play out after Naruto was out of the hospital, but the sudden circumstances of him leaving the village had forced him to bump it up.

"So you gave him the bad news?" Yuiko said jokingly. "How did he take it?"

"I'm sure he'll come around," Iruka said agreeably.

"How about you go cheer him up?" Kakashi said, motioning toward Naruto. "I pulled some strings, and our young friend is blissfully unaware of anything that happened today outside my coronation."

Yuiko raised her brow. "What did you do? Fire everyone working on his floor?"

Kakashi shrugged innocently. Yuiko shot him a smirk as she strode toward the bench. Kakashi and Iruka hung back as they watched Naruto with amused expressions.

Naruto looked up from the book he was reading as she approached. "Iruka-Sensei, I don't —" His face broke into a grin. "Yuiko! You here to cheer me on, too?"

"Always," Yuiko said, sitting in the empty spot beside him. "I heard you're catching up on your studies."

Naruto nodded, although a slight pout touched his lips. "Yeah, Iruka-Sensei and Kakashi-Sen — err, Kakashi-Hokage said I have to catch up on my studies if I ever want to become a jōnin, then Hokage after that. It makes sense, but …" He tilted his head back to look up into the branches of the tree above them. "It's _really_ boring."

Yuiko giggled, lightly patting his back. "I understand; I was never that fond of classes, either. But it'll pay off someday. And you're smart, so you'll be able to get through it."

Naruto met her gaze, his eyes shining. "Thanks, Yuiko. Think we can get some ramen when I'm done studying?"

"Oh," Yuiko said. "Sorry, but I'm actually leaving tonight."

"Leaving?" Naruto said. "Where? Do you have a mission already?"

Yuiko shook her head, beaming. "I'm going on my honeymoon!"

Naruto stared at her, his face contorting. "Eh?!"

Yuiko recoiled in surprise.

"You got married?" Naruto shouted. "When?!"

"Uh, today," Yuiko said bashfully. "It was … a little unexpected."

"Ya think?!" he said, getting to his feet. The book he was reading fell to grass, completely forgotten. "I mean … I'm happy for you and all, but wow!"

Yuiko chuckled, regarding him sheepishly.

"So, who is he?" Naruto asked excitedly.

Yuiko looked at him dubiously. "The man … I married?"

"Oh, wait! Don't tell me!" Naruto said, scratching his head. His eyes narrowed in thought. "Oh, I got it!" he said, grinning at her. "Captain Yamato, right?"

"No!" Yuiko shouted, distraught. "Not at all!"

"Huh," Naruto said, a little put out. "OK, wait … Oh man, was it Aoba-Sensei?!"

"Aoba?!" Yuiko said, getting to her feet. "Why would you guess Aoba?"

"I dunno …" Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head. "You guys are friends and all …"

"Not like that!" Yuiko countered. "Are you just naming off every man you've seen me talk to?"

"Oh!" Naruto said, ignoring her question. "Was it Octopops? I'm sure you guys have a lot in common, since you're both jinchūriki — or used to be, I guess."

 _I swear I only dropped him on his head once,_ Yuiko thought, regarding Naruto in disbelief.

Kakashi and Iruka chose that time to rejoin them. They had seen Naruto's mirth from a distance, misinterpreting the gesture.

"No way!" Naruto said, pointing behind Yuiko. "Of course! Oh man, you guys really got me! So it was you, Iruka-Sensei, you sly dog!"

"Me? What?" Iruka said, confused.

"Oh man, my former teacher and Yuiko getting married! How funny is that?" Naruto said.

"Wa-wait! Hey!" Iruka said, flustered. "Naruto, what are you talking about?!"

Naruto furrowed his brow. "Huh? So it wasn't you either?" he said, put out. He turned his attention to the new Hokage. "Kakashi-Hokage-Sensei, do you know who Yuiko married?"

 _This kid is going to be in charge someday,_ Kakashi thought mournfully.

"Naruto," Yuiko said gently. "Maybe this would be easier if I just told you."

"Hold on!" Naruto said, a smile flashing across his face. "I got it! It's Motoi, right?"

"Who's Motoi?" Kakashi asked, his brow furrowing.

"The guy that Yuiko was whispering to all the time on the island!" Naruto chirped.

Kakashi shot her a questioning look, causing a frantic expression to fall over Yuiko's face. "We were only whispering because of you!" she shot back to Naruto.

"You don't have to be embarrassed, Yuiko," Naruto said, patting her on the shoulder. "If you want to marry some weird old guy from Kumo, I'm not one to judge."

Kakashi let out a long sigh. "It's me," he said flatly.

He felt a little guilty for not sounding more jubilant, but adding Naruto to the day's excitement was becoming exhausting.

Naruto froze, regarding his former teacher. He frowned, looking back to Yuiko. Yuiko smiled timidly and nodded in agreement.

"You married … Kakashi-Sensei-Kage?" Naruto asked, dubious. "But he's … so lazy. And late to everything, all the time — like, _really_ late. And he's always reading those pervy books in public, which is pretty embarrassing ..."

"I'll be going, then," Kakashi said, his head drooping as he started to walk away.

Naruto snorted, holding his belly as he let out his laughter. Kakashi lifted his head over his shoulder, a morose look still on his face.

"Oh man, I got you good!" Naruto said, grinning. "You totally thought I didn't know!"

Kakashi turned back to him. "How did you find out?" he asked suspiciously.

"Sakura told me, duh," Naruto said.

Kakashi had no idea how Sakura got past the Anbu — or the traps — to tell Naruto, but it seemed that he had underestimated the power of gossip.

"I'm really glad that you're the one Yuiko married, Kakashi-Sensei," Naruto said, beaming.

Kakashi's expression softened. Naruto wrapped Yuiko in a hug before trotting over to give Kakashi one of his own.

"This is great!" Naruto said. "I didn't even know you two were like that!"

Kakashi laughed.

 _Well, at least there was one person._

* * *

A/N: ALL ABOARD THE FLUFF TRAIN! CHOO CHOOOOOOOOO!

After everything they've been through ... I think the characters deserve some time where at least one of them isn't in a fatally perilous position. And so, enter the two-parter Honeymoon Arc (keeping it teen, ya'll). And I'm sure some of you are dubious, but it really will be pure fluff with no twists. Even though, wouldn't it be great if ... No! NO! Bad Mallow! Let them be happy! There's no jugular stabbing in fluff!

Other side note: AmiroUchiha2605 has offered to take on the task of translating Lightning on a Cloudless Night into Russian, which is super cool. They've posted it on Ficbook (story code 7504840). I believe they're around chapter three, at the moment, if anyone wants to check it out!


	88. Chapter 88

A/N: The following two chapters are going to be "highlights" of Yuiko and Kakashi's honeymoon, so there will be quite a few time skips. Shorter time skips between scenes will be represented by em dashes ( — ), while the longer time skips (days/weeks) will be the big horizontal lines such as the one below. This concludes your LOACN public service announcement :)

.

* * *

.

"There are a lot of markets here," Yuiko said brightly, looking about. "I didn't have time to check them all out last time I was here. They call this one the 'civilian market' since it's mostly just clothes and food."

"Ah," Kakashi said with a nod. Yugakure's civilian market was filled with tents of varying sizes and myriad colors. Kakashi took in the pleasant smell of grilled meat and the genial hum coming from the crowd. He felt a tug on his sleeve, and glanced down at his new wife.

Yuiko smiled at him pleasantly. She wore a deep blue qipao dress in a similar style to what Sakura often wore. Kakashi got the feeling that his former student played a large role in choosing the few civilian outfits Yuiko possessed.

"What do you want to see first?" Yuiko asked excitedly.

Kakashi pondered the question for a moment. The real answer was, 'I want to find a nice place for a nap,' but he had a feeling that it wouldn't go over well.

"You get souvenirs for people while on vacation, right?" he said. "How about we look around and see what catches our eye. Naruto and the others would like that."

Yuiko's face lit up. Kakashi watched her tenderly as she approached a stall selling hand-carved flutes and other knickknacks.

Yuiko moved from stall to stall, Kakashi drifting behind as he looked over the various wares. It was an interesting experience for him; he had never been on a real vacation, and this was the first time he was taking more than a few seconds to consider getting anyone a gift. The few times in the past he had been cornered into giving someone a present, he had just offered what he happened to have on him. Sakura didn't speak to him for an entire month when her present for the Rinne Festival one year turned out to be a ration bar and some ninja wire.

Kakashi came to a stop as something caught his eye. He picked up the item in delight, tilting it to and fro.

"What's that for?" Yuiko asked, furrowing her brow.

"Naruto would like this, I think," Kakashi said happily.

Yuiko stared at him, trying to decipher whether he was making a joke. They were at a large tent that leaned more toward being a convenience shop than a gift stall like the others.

Kakashi hummed in satisfaction as he started to carry the bulk pack of instant ramen toward the front.

"That's … not really the kind of gift you bring someone as a souvenir," Yuiko said as he passed.

"Why not?" Kakashi said, stopping to look at her. "He'd like it."

"Probably," Yuiko said, trying to find the right words. "It's just … they have that exact same thing at home. He could get it just about anywhere."

"Including from me," Kakashi chirped. He turned about to regard the short man behind the counter to pay for the ramen. Yuiko shrugged and went back to leafing through postcards.

—

"I think he'll like this."

"Uh …"

Kakashi held up a banana-yellow t-shirt that had 'Yugakure Springs' printed in bold orange text with cartoony swirls of steam around it.

"I don't know him very well," Yuiko said, carefully choosing her words, "but do you really think Sasuke would wear that?"

"Why wouldn't he? The material is soft; I'm sure it's quite comfortable."

Yuiko didn't have an argument for that. Kakashi turned to the proprietor of the T-shirt stand, who complimented him on his good taste as he paid for the shirt.

—

"No."

"But I think —"

"No! Look at it!"

Kakashi held up the stuffed animal. Yuiko thought it was _supposed_ to be a dog, but the bulging eyes, hollow cheeks, and disturbingly long felt tongue sticking out of its mouth made it hard to tell.

"You don't think Sakura would like this?" Kakashi said, admiring it. "It's pink, and it's cute."

Yuiko looked at him incredulously. "You think that's _cute_?"

Now Kakashi was the one looking surprised. "Of course it is. It's got big eyes, and it's fluffy."

"It also looks like it was strangled to death," Yuiko mumbled, doing her best not to attract the stall owners' attention. The entire shop was starting to creep her out; the tent was lined with shelves of stuffed animals of different varieties, all with swollen-looking eyes and long, discolored tongues hanging out of their mouths. Despite the cheerful colors and soft fur, Yuiko found them all deeply unsettling.

"I think it's adorable," Kakashi said, bringing the stuffed dog closer to her face. Yuiko winced.

"I'm going to get it," he continued. "I'm sure she'll like it."

Yuiko shook her head vigorously. "You can't get her that! It's horrible!"

The stall owner — a young woman — glanced over in their direction from where she was engaged in conversation with another customer. Yuiko shrunk down to hide behind Kakashi.

"I didn't want to play this card," Kakashi said with a shrug, "but I've known Sakura for much longer than you, and I think I have a better gauge on what she'd find cute."

Yuiko gaped at him, trying to think of another way to talk him out of it. Kakashi's eye turned up in a smile as he reached out to tap Yuiko on the nose. "I don't know why you're questioning my taste; I think you're cute too, after all."

Yuiko experienced a kaleidoscope of emotions. The soft smile on her lips transformed as she grew pensive, then her brow shot up in alarm. "You think I'm cute … like how these things are cute?"

"Oh no," Kakashi said amicably, "you're much cuter."

Yuiko looked back at him in horror before spinning about. Kakashi watched in confusion as she marched away.

"Where are you going?"

"To find a mirror," Yuiko mumbled, disappearing into the crowd.

.

* * *

.

"What's a karaoke bar?" Kakashi asked as he stared at the sign. "Is it like a ration bar?"

"It's where people get up on a stage and sing," Yuiko said, her attention already wandering to the menu of the kabob restaurant across the street.

"So they just have a performer while you eat karaoke?" Kakashi asked.

Yuiko looked back to him, shaking her head. "No, karaoke is singing. Anyone can get up and sing. You pick one of the songs they have, and they play the music from a karaoke machine while you sing along."

"Karaoke machine?" Kakashi said, his brow furrowing. Yuiko sighed; she could tell Kakashi was envisioning a kind of snack machine.

Certain nations had always been quicker than others to adopt new technology. The Land of Lightening and Land of Stone were more technologically advanced than the others, although the Land of Fire wasn't too far behind. Yuiko had seen plenty of karaoke bars when she had traveled through the other two nations, and it looked like the Land of Fire was finally starting to adapt it on their own. Kakashi had most likely been to those nations at the time as well, but his work certainly wouldn't have included going to a Karaoke Bar. He wasn't Jiraiya, after all.

"I think they have food here," Yuiko shrugged, referring to the bar. "Let's go listen. It will mostly be amateurs, so don't expect too much."

—

Yuiko and Kakashi were ejected from the bar with the door slamming behind them. Kakashi scratched the side of his face. "I've never been kicked out of an establishment so fast — even after killing someone."

Yuiko dropped her head into her hands. "Why did you make me go up there?"

Kakashi raised his brow. "You were mouthing along with most of the songs. I thought you might want to."

Yuiko groaned.

"Well, I was impressed," Kakashi said, his eye turning up as he smiled. "I admired your choice of bold creativity when you picked one of Killer B's songs."

"My mind went blank!" Yuiko shouted, tugging at her hair. "That was the only one I could think of!"

Yuiko looked at her feet dejectedly as she trudged down the dark street. Kakashi stuffed his hands into his pockets, his brow drooping as he walked behind her.

They walked for a few blocks before Yuiko stopped in her tracks when Kakashi took her hand. She turned back to regard the serious expression on his face.

"I want to show you something."

—

Yuiko sat on the stone bench, perplexed, as Kakashi took a deep breath. He had led her to one of Yugakure's large parks, finding an isolated spot near a fountain.

"Do you want to see something I'm bad at?" Kakashi asked, watching her steadily.

"Other than buying gifts?" Yuiko asked, unable to help herself.

Kakashi exhaled sharply through his nose, ignoring her statement. He held out his hand and helped her to her feet. He put one arm around her waist, and clasped the other, holding it by her shoulder.

They started to sway back and forth, and Yuiko immediately recognized the pattern. It was the standard waltz she had learned at the academy, and was trained in again once she had joined the Anbu. The dance was popular among upper-class civilians, and most shinobi picked it up on the chance that they would need to go undercover as a guard or on a seduction mission. She was proud to say that she wasn't terrible at it; she and Yamato had used it a few times when they went undercover to —

"Ow!" Yuiko shouted, taking a step back. It took her brain a few seconds to register what had just happened. She stared at her foot, then up to Kakashi, then back at her foot. She looked at Kakashi again, her jaw dropping. "No, that doesn't make sense."

Kakashi shrugged, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

"There is no way," Yuiko said, staring at Kakashi as if he had burst into flame. "It's impossible."

"Ah," Kakashi said with an awkward smile. "That's what everyone always says."

"But it's just coordination and timing," Yuiko said, trying to piece together the puzzle. "You're good at that — no, you're _amazing_ at that. You're the copy ninja! How can you not do it?" Yuiko's expression grew dark. "Is this a lie to make me feel better?"

"No!" Kakashi said quickly. "It's … I'm not bad at dancing on my own, but with another person …"

Kakashi trailed off, shifting uncomfortably. Yuiko studied him; dancing with another person wasn't so hard. It could be weird, sure, being that close to a stranger but …

Yuiko's eyes widened. Until very recently, she hadn't been able to touch Kakashi without him at least flinching from the sensation. It wasn't that he thought she was a threat, but he simply wasn't used to someone touching him without trying to kill him.

On the first night of their honeymoon, the two of them had dozed off in each other's arms. Yuiko received a rude awakening about an hour later via a head-butt and a knee to her stomach that knocked the wind out of her.

Kakashi was beside himself when he came to his senses, and even offered to sleep in a different room, but Yuiko refused the offer, joking that she was a poor shinobi for allowing him to attack her first.

Kakashi had ended up sleeping on the floor for the next few nights until Yuiko was finally able to come up with a solution. She'd added a simple repelling seal to the interior of their sleeping robes, which would push against each other as if they were the same poles of a magnet. The force wasn't very strong, but it was enough to help them roll away in their sleep to avoid accidental contact. Kakashi assured her that the arrangement wouldn't be permanent, but that he needed a little time to get used to having another person in such close proximity while he slept.

Kakashi had always been sensitive about physical contact, although it wasn't something that had clicked for Yuiko until she had spent more time with him after her return to the village. The realization had made her feel incredibly guilty over all the unwarranted hugs she had given him when they were kids, and shed some light on how intimate it had actually been when Kakashi comforted her once by simply placing her head on his shoulder. But Yuiko had assumed that he'd had a better grasp on the discomfort when it came to his work as a shinobi.

"So you can't concentrate on dancing and be in contact with someone at the same time?" Yuiko asked.

Kakashi chuckled nervously. "Ah. Funny, right? The higher-ups were never happy that they had to limit the types of missions they could send me on. I would do fine on the conversation aspect, but going undercover where physical contact was expected was a no-go for me. No matter what it was, I would lose my concentration and threaten to give myself away."

What he said made sense, but Yuiko was still puzzled. "But, it's me," she said, studying him closely. "Are you still bothered when I touch you?"

"No," Kakashi said quickly. He dropped his gaze, running his hand through his hair. "You're just … distracting."

Watching Kakashi stare down at his feet was like looking into a mirror for Yuiko. There had been a number of times when she'd been exempted from a mission because she couldn't be the bold, flirtatious, or confident shinobi that was needed to go undercover. Never in a million years would she have guessed that a prodigy like Kakashi would feel like he wasn't good enough for something similar.

"Back in the Anbu," Yuiko said softly, "I had the opposite problem. I wasn't very good with talking to people, so they wouldn't put me on mission like that, either. Even Jiraiya said I would be terrible on a seduction mission, and his standards were rock-bottom."

Kakashi let out a barking laugh. Yuiko covered her mouth as she joined in. The two fell into silence as their laughter died down.

Yuiko approached Kakashi, clasping one of his hands while putting the other on his shoulder. "I don't mind your dancing," she smiled. "I can just phase my feet through yours if you mess up."

Kakashi regarded her with a fond expression. "Alright," he said softly. The two of them started to sway back and forth, dancing to the melody of chirping crickets.

.

* * *

.

Kakashi was like a kid in a candy store. Yuiko allowed him to wander and do his own thing while she perused the selection at the Make-Out Paradise gift shop at her own pace.

Since a portion of the movie based on Jiraiya's book had been filmed in Yugakure, merchandise ranging from the original books to movie memorabilia could be found throughout the village. This shop, however, was the only "official" shop of the franchise, and it had the largest selection. A part of Jiraiya's will had stated that the portion of revenue that would normally go to his account would be donated to the Konoha orphanage and to relief programs helping underdeveloped nations. It was all very noble, if one didn't think about _where_ exactly the money was coming from.

Yuiko goggled at the headbands made to look like a pair of cat ears. She placed one on her head with a smile. One of the love interests in the series owned a cat, although the ears on the headband were black, as opposed to the cream color the cat was described as in the books. Yuiko lowered her eyes, noticing that hanging below the basket of headbands were more pieces to the cat costume — if one could even call the thin strips of cloth a costume. Yuiko blushed, reaching up to remove the headband.

"Yuiko, look!"

Yuiko ripped the headband off, her hair billowing over her face as she stared at Kakashi. He didn't seem to notice the redness on her cheeks or the object she sent sailing down the aisle from behind her back.

"This book has storyboards from the movie, and notes Master Jiraiya took when adapting it from Make-Out Paradise," Kakashi said, his eye alight as he flipped through the pages. "The shop owner says he even has a copy that was signed by Yukie, Master Jiraiya, and other members of the crew. It costs a small fortune, which is why I thought I should check with you."

Yuiko shrugged. "It's your money. The rest of your meals will have to be that instant ramen if you run out before we leave, though."

"My adoring wife, always looking out for me," Kakashi chirped as he flicked to the last page of the book. He hummed, pulling out a large, folded piece of paper from inside the back cover. He placed the book down and proceeded to unfold it.

The paper partially obscured Kakashi from view as he held his arms out wide before him. He studied it for a moment before flipping it around for Yuiko to see. "I think this is the poster that was signed. Hopefully the copy the owner has will be rolled rather than folded."

Yuiko gasped. The poster was of the movie's star, Yukie, seductively laying atop a bed, the sheer robe falling over her body a mere afterthought considering how little it left to the imagination.

"Put that down!" Yuiko snapped, growing alarmed. "Someone could see you! There could be children in here!"

"Really?" Kakashi said, tilting his head. "That'd be irresponsible."

"Excuse me, sir?"

Kakashi turned around, still holding up the poster. The shop owner smiled at him pleasantly, seemingly unfazed. "I have your book at the counter, if you're ready."

"Thank you," Kakashi said with a smile. He turned to see Yuiko had disappeared. As he started to fold the poster back up, he noticed a headband lying on the floor. Scanning the area again for his wife, he walked over to pick up the headband, twirling it between his fingers.


	89. Chapter 89

"Yuiko?"

"Yes?"

Yuiko raised her eyes from her book. The couple sat at a shaded table outside a small café. It was late morning, and the sun shone down brightly to give a touch of warmth to the brisk fall air. Kakashi swirled the tea about in his cup as he regarded her coolly. "When is your birthday?"

Yuiko's face scrunched up like she'd bit into a lemon. "Why?"

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "Why not? Shouldn't I know?"

Yuiko's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You don't usually care about birthdays, even your own."

Kakashi shrugged. "True. But I kind of feel obligated to know when yours is, at least."

Yuiko pondered this for a moment, trying to decipher if it was some sort of trap. Kakashi probably hated parties more than he hated most of the people who had tried to kill him, so hearing him inquire about anything that could even be remotely related to a party made warning bells go off in her head.

"I'm just curious," Kakashi continued as Yuiko made no motion to speak. "Your age in the Bingo Book was always an approximation, which is a little odd."

Yuiko sighed. She was probably safe from falling into any sort of trap since she couldn't give him what he wanted, anyway. "I don't have a birthday," she said simply.

Kakashi regarded her impassively. "Well, didn't I luck out?" he joked.

Yuiko shrugged, going back to her book.

"Why don't you have a birthday?"

Yuiko exhaled sharply, raising her eyes. "My grandfather didn't know how old I was when he took me in. He made a guess, so I might actually be a year or so older or younger than I think I am."

"But don't you have a day to keep track of your age?"

"The first of the year," Yuiko said frankly. "It keeps things simple."

Kakashi nodded. The two returned to sitting in silence, a smile growing behind Kakashi's mask.

.

* * *

.

"I don't think I'm dressed nice enough for this place," Yuiko whispered, her eyes wide as she looked around the restaurant. The deep mahogany building was erected around an outdoor water feature that could be admired from the low tables placed along the inner windows. It was one of these tables that their hostess guided them to before Yuiko and Kakashi sat across from each other on the cushions.

"You look lovely," Kakashi said, smiling sweetly. Yuiko blushed, nervously fiddling with her hair as she dropped her gaze. She was wearing another qipao dress, this one a deep maroon. Her husband was wearing his standard shinobi gear, as normal; Yuiko figured that he must have tipped the restaurant off somehow about who he was in order to be allowed in without a fuss.

Yuiko watched wide-eyed as their food was brought to their table in an array of courses without either of them ever placing an order. She had found it odd earlier that no one ever stopped by with a menu, but it seemed that this was the type of place where the chef chose the meal for you. By no means was Yuiko a picky eater, but she was still skeptical. There was a variety of seasonal dishes she had never heard of, all of which thankfully turned out to taste wonderful. She and Kakashi chatted about which ones they liked the best, along with general conversation about the highlights of their trip.

Oddly, Yuiko found herself starting to feel a little nervous as dinner progressed. She and Kakashi had been spending almost every moment together for over two weeks, but this was the first time she had felt like the two of them were on an actual date. It was funny, but she was feeling more anxious now than the first time that the two of them had been intimate with each other on their wedding night.

"I have a surprise for you," Kakashi said, causing Yuiko's eyes to immediately snap up to meet his.

"What is it?"

"You'll see," Kakashi said, tilting his head to the side.

The sound of applause erupted from the other side of the restaurant, and Yuiko slowly turned her head to regard the large group of people coming toward their table. The entire wait staff approached them, clapping and shouting happily while the two waiters in front carried a cake between them littered with candles.

"I told them it was your birthday today," Kakashi said, his eye turning up in a smile. "I also let them know this is your first celebration, too, so they said that they were going to go all-out."

Kakashi opened his eye, his smile vanishing as he noted that Yuiko suddenly seemed much shorter than earlier.

"Yuiko?"

Yuiko continued to shrink, literally sinking through the floor.

"Yuiko," Kakashi repeated, concerned.

His wife shot Kakashi a panicked look before speeding up the process and vanishing entirely. The wait staff came to a halt, muttering in confusion as they stared at the spot where Yuiko had been.

Kakashi sighed, returning his features to a pleasant expression. "Sorry about that," he said, waving casually. "Is there any way you can pack that to go?"

—

"Ah, I thought you'd skipped town."

Yuiko looked up at her husband with a scowl. She sat atop Yugakure's tallest building, which happened to be the sloped roof an upscale inn. Yuiko had her knees pulled up to her chest; it looked like she had been watching the people milling about the busy street below.

"That was mean," Yuiko mumbled, returning her attention to the street. Kakashi sat down next to her, setting down the two packages he held in his arms. He watched her for a moment, tapping his fingers against his arm in thought.

"I thought you would like it," he said genuinely. "You've never celebrated your birthday before."

Yuiko bunched the material of her dress in her hands. "Yeah, but …" she trailed off, turning her head away. "Everyone was watching me. And there were so many people …"

Yuiko fell silent. Kakashi sighed deeply. "Yuiko," he said slowly, "you'll have to get over this sometime."

Yuiko's shoulders stiffened. Kakashi quickly decided to backpedal. "I really meant it when I said I wanted you by my side when we got married. I don't want to think that you're miserable when you accompany me to Hokage-related functions."

Yuiko slowly turned her head, peering at him from the corner of her eye. "Those are different. It's different when I have a job."

Kakashi's brow furrowed. "Is being married to me like having a job?"

Yuiko frowned. "You know that I mean. It's a lot easier when I have a role to play. But when I'm supposed to just be myself, I don't know what to do. I don't know what people expect me to do. Even after watching so many other people …"

Yuiko fell silent, dropping her gaze. Kakashi watched her sadly as she wiped her face on the back of her arm.

"You shouldn't care what other people want you to do," Kakashi said quietly. "You should act how _you_ want to act. No one can dictate what your personality should be. Do you think I would read 'Make-Out Paradise' in public if I cared about what people said I should act like?"

Yuiko snorted, wiping her eyes again. "I don't think you'll be able to do that anymore, though," she said, smiling wryly.

"Says who?" Kakashi shrugged. "Everyone knew what they were getting into when they nominated me."

Yuiko chuckled. "I guess that's true."

The couple fell silent, watching as the people milled about below.

"I think you'll be happier if you work on it," Kakashi said finally. "You'll be surprised how many people like you for who you are, even with your quirks."

Yuiko exhaled deeply. Kakashi moved closer to her, bumping his shoulder against hers.

"Alright," Yuiko said, smiling at him. "But you have to help me. That means putting away your book when we walk through the village so we can talk to people together."

"Oh no," Kakashi said, the corner of his eye crinkling. "I created a monster."

Yuiko rolled her eyes.

Kakashi recalled the two boxes at his side, and he reached over to grab the smaller one. He handed the pink box to Yuiko, who crossed her legs beneath her as she regarded it in her lap. "What's this?"

"A birthday present," Kakashi said, smiling.

Yuiko opened the box excitedly, but her sunny expression deteriorated as she stared at the item in confusion. She lifted up the strips of black cloth, trying to decipher what it was. Her face quickly morphed into a deep crimson as she recognized the "cat" outfit from the Make-Out Paradise store.

"I saw you looking at it before, so I got it for you," Kakashi said. "I don't normally like cats, but I think you could change my mind."

Yuiko dropped the outfit back into the box as if it had suddenly become a pile of snakes. "I am not wearing that."

"But look," Kakashi said, fishing more items from out of the tissue paper. "There's a headband, a collar, and even a ball of yarn. It's cute."

"I don't trust your definition of cute!" Yuiko snapped. Kakashi sighed, putting the items back in the box.

"I'm sure I'll wear you down eventually," he said, placing the present aside. Yuiko opened her mouth to protest when he slid another box beside her. "I think you'll like this one better."

Yuiko regarded the box warily. She flipped open the lid, her eyes widening.

"Happy birthday," Kakashi said, materializing a fork, which Yuiko grasped excitedly. She plunged the utensil deep into the cake, breaking off a large corner chunk. Kakashi pulled down his mask, using his own fork to scoop up a piece that was closer to what an average person would consider a mouthful. He wasn't a huge fan of sweets, but it wasn't every day that he got to have rooftop birthday cake.

.

* * *

.

"H-hello."

Reina turned away from the dress she was admiring in the store window to look at the woman who had appeared at her side. The stranger seemed younger than her and had long, light purple hair. But what stood out most about her was the fact that she looked absolutely mortified.

"T-that dress," the woman said, pointing at the window, "its … ravishing, right?"

Reina furrowed her brow. The stranger had a wide smile plastered on her face that did nothing to flatter the terrified look in her eyes. She also kept looking at something over Reina's shoulder, causing Reina to turn about.

Though the street was full of bustling shoppers and tourists, one person caught Reina's attention immediately: A man sitting outside a café who appeared rather ominous with half of his face shrouded by a mask. He had a book open in front of him, but his attention was conspicuously fixed on the two women. Reina's eyes grew wide in alarm as she turned back to the stranger.

"Do you know that man?" she asked.

"Oh! Yes," the stranger replied, flustered. "Sorry, I think he's just making sure I don't run away."

Reina's eyebrows shot up. This seemed to startle the stranger, so she quickly schooled her features. "I see," Reina said slowly. She did her best to put on a friendly smile. "My name is Reina. What's yours?"

The stranger's expression immediately brightened. "My name is Yuiko!"

Yuiko seemed so happy to be speaking to another person that it made Reina's heart hurt. She had seen cases like this before, sadly; poor Yuiko was lucky to have run into her.

"Yuiko," Reina said gently, "that man over there, the one who's watching us — did he ask you to come speak to me?"

Yuiko suddenly looked embarrassed. She nodded slightly. "Yes. He said I should try to get to know you. I'm not very good with —"

"I see," Reina said, keeping her voice light. "Did he want you to take me somewhere?"

Yuiko's brow furrowed. She did so in confusion, but Reina viewed it as reluctance.

"Uh, no, but —"

"Yuiko," Reina said, taking Yuiko's hand. Yuiko stared down at it, startled.

"I'm a member of Iwa's shinobi force, and I've met plenty of women like you," Reina said earnestly.

"Huh?" Yuiko said, blinking back at her.

"I know it's scary; I'm sure you're used to following his orders, but trust me, I can help you escape," Reina continued. "I have friends here on the Yugakure guard, and they can keep you safe from that man — you and any other women he's taken. Please, come with me. I won't let him hurt you, I promise."

Yuiko stared at Reina, her mouth flapping up and down a few times before she found her voice.

"I think there's been a misunderstanding," Yuiko squeaked. "He's my husband."

Reina shook her head sorrowfully. "Even so, you must know that what he's asking you to do isn't something that a loving husband would ever ask for. It's alright; you don't have to be his prisoner anymore."

Yuiko frowned. "This isn't a prank, is it?"

Reina started to protest when she felt a presence behind her. She whipped about to see the masked man, who was now leaning against the store's window.

"You two seem to be getting along well," the man said. His visible eye was turned up in a smile. "My wife was so anxious about talking to a stranger, but it seems there was nothing to worry about."

Reina backed away, putting herself between Yuiko and the man.

"Yes, we're getting along quite well," she said, watching the man keenly. "In fact, I'd like her to go shopping with me. Would that be a problem?"

The man looked delighted. Reina fought to hide her disgust.

"Of course not!" he said. "You two have fun!"

Reina took Yuiko's hand and pulled her away while keeping the masked man at the edge of her vision. Yuiko was reluctant to follow, but that was normal; she was certain that Yuiko would calm down as soon as they got to their real destination at the Yugakure guard headquarters. The poor woman was clearly in need of a safe space and reassurance that she was outside the control of that monster.

"I'm sorry," Yuiko said, piping up. "Are we … are we friends now?"

Reina looked back at Yuiko, breaking into a smile. "Yes, of course we are."

Yuiko looked so excited that Reina wondered whether the woman had ever had a friend before. Reina's smile widened as she strengthened her grip on Yuiko's hand.

—

"Well, that was interesting," Kakashi said. He put his hands in his pockets as he exited the Yugakure guard headquarters beside Yuiko. Yuiko held a slip of paper to her chest, humming in contentment.

Kakashi hadn't been there for all of it, but from what he'd heard, things had escalated quickly after Yuiko revealed her surname to the guards. Considering that until very recently there had been only one Hatake in the elemental nations, it hadn't taken them long to put two and two together.

"I hope I didn't embarrass your friend too much," Kakashi said, bashfully scratching the side of his face. "She jumped to some rather … _insidious_ conclusions, but her heart was in the right place."

Yuiko's smiled widened. "Reina is a very caring person, don't you think?"

Kakashi gazed at Yuiko warmly. She held the slip of paper with Reina's address with utmost care. She had worked up the courage to ask her for it before they left, and the Iwa kunoichi quickly obliged (albeit somewhat out of embarrassment). Yuiko promised to write as soon as she got home from her honeymoon, and was abuzz with the prospect of having a pen pal.

Kakashi sighed softly.

 _Hopefully things won't be as complicated next time she tries to make a friend,_ he thought.

.

* * *

.

"This seems … extreme," Kakashi said.

Yuiko put her hands on her hips, her smile widening as she regarded him. There was a hint of something mischievous there that reminded him of Naruto, and Kakashi didn't like it.

"I accepted your challenge to talk to a stranger," Yuiko said. "So now you have to accept mine."

"I feel like this is a little imbalanced," Kakashi said, regarding the roaring waterfall beside them. He and Yuiko stood on a grassy slope alongside the top of a wide waterfall about a mile out of Yugakure. Yuiko's challenge was for the two of them to dance across the water from one end to the other. The river was only about 50 feet wide – a distance Kakashi could normally cross in no time. However, the prospect of concentrating on walking over the turbulent water, dancing, and being in contact with Yuiko at the same time gave him some pause.

"You don't think you can do it?" Yuiko asked innocently. Kakashi's brow twitched. Pressing other people's buttons was his thing; he didn't like being on the receiving end.

Kakashi stepped out onto the turbulent water, taking a few seconds to find his footing before offering his hand to Yuiko. Yuiko took it, and the two placed their hands appropriately before Kakashi started to guide them in a quick waltz.

The dance was — surprisingly — easier for him to pull off with the added peril. Even though the fall likely wouldn't hurt him, his desire not to be soaked in the frigid water outweighed his anxiety regarding physical contact. He even found himself enjoying the dance itself, having never gotten this far in the routine with another person before.

As they approached the opposite end of the falls, Kakashi decided to try out a move where the lead lifts his partner in a full circle. Yuiko laughed in surprise as he raised her into the air. As he started to bring her back down, she smiled and gently put her forehead to his. Kakashi looked deep into her sparkling violet eyes — and suddenly he was falling.

The cold water shocked his senses; he shifted the flow of chakra through his body to keep its temperature from plunging. After tumbling through the water for a few seconds, Kakashi surfaced. He looked up at the top of the waterfall, but Yuiko was gone.

Something shifted in the river a few feet away. Yuiko's head popped up as she took in a breath.

"Did I drag you down?" Kakashi asked, lifting himself to stand on the water.

"No," Yuiko said, smiling. "It's not every day I get to see you lose, and I didn't want to miss anything."

Kakashi's eye narrowed in thought as he strolled toward her. "Did you do that on purpose?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yuiko said, failing to school her features.

Kakashi shrugged in feigned disinterest, but in the blink of an eye his hand was on her head, plunging her underwater.

"That's my line," he deadpanned. Yuiko phased through his arm, laughing as she resurfaced.

"Come on," Kakashi said, straightening up. "Let's go before we use up all our chakra keeping ourselves warm."

Yuiko joined him atop the water, regarding him gleefully. Kakashi found her delight infectious. He reached out, gently placing his hand on the back of her head. He put his forehead against hers, closing his eye and taking in the warmth of her skin and the smell of grass.

Kakashi felt Yuiko's fingers on his cheek and remained still as she pulled down his mask. Their lips met, and Kakashi surrendered himself to the floating sensation growing in his chest.

Kakashi yelped as he lost his focus and fell back into the water. He sputtered as he brought his head above the surface, meeting Yuiko's gaze.

"You did that on purpose," he said flatly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yuiko replied quickly, not bothering to hide her mirth. Kakashi sighed, taking her outstretched hand as he climbed above the surface. He adjusted his mask and strengthened his grip on Yuiko's hand as the two of them made their way back to Yugakure.

.

* * *

.

"Do you think Tsunade would give me another month off?" Kakashi asked.

Yuiko and Kakashi lounged in the private hot spring directly behind their room at the inn. They had decided to use it one last time before they were due to head home the next day. They both leaned back against the edge, looking up at the crescent of night sky shining through the cluster of bamboo surrounding the spring. The spring and the path leading back to the room glowed a soft yellow from the small lights dotted about the area.

"If you want to put off being Hokage for longer," Yuiko said, tilting her head to gaze at him, "you could just let her kill you."

Kakashi nodded as if she had just suggested a perfectly valid option. He dipped his head further under the water to blow bubbles with his nose.

"You seemed a lot more gung-ho on the day of your coronation," Yuiko said, observing him closely. "What happened?"

Kakashi brought his face back above the water, turning to regard her. "You happened."

Yuiko raised her eyebrows. "Don't put your laziness on me."

Kakashi smirked, returning to his lounging position. "I guess I'm just disappointed that we won't be able to spend time like this again until I retire, whenever that will be."

Yuiko hummed in acknowledgment. "I think one month is enough. I would drive you crazy otherwise. I get antsy with nothing to do."

"We could set up a shop here," Kakashi said with a wave. "A little book shop. Just the two of us."

Yuiko chuckled. "And we would sell only the finest smut," she smirked.

"See, we're practically there," Kakashi said, nodding. The two fell into silence. Yuiko noted that Kakashi's expression was oddly pensive.

"Remember when I said before that you would make a good Hokage?" Yuiko asked. Kakashi's eyes slowly drifted to meet hers.

"I think that now you'll make a great Hokage. You're different than you were before the war, in a way that made you stronger. People will feel that; they'll want to follow you and make Konoha a better place."

Kakashi regarded her steadily. An uncharacteristic look of uncertainty flashed across his face. "I don't know if others will really see me that way," he said softly. "Not without the sharingan."

Yuiko looked at him as if he was an idiot. Kakashi knew she meant well, but the glare still made him bristle.

"You're the strongest person I know," Yuiko said firmly. The harsh line between his eyes faded as Kakashi's expression softened.

"There might be others out there that are physically tougher than you are," she continued, "but they can't do what you can do. You can look at something and just _know_ what needs to be done in order to make it better. You may not like starting projects, but once you do, you finish it. And when you speak, people listen to you — really listen to you — because that's the kind of presence you have. You're —"

Yuiko looked away, embarrassed. "You make me feel weak by comparison."

Kakashi almost laughed. He certainly didn't feel like the strong one between the two of them. He watched Yuiko for a moment as she shyly looked down into the water.

Kakashi groaned as he rose to his feet. "Alright, that's enough talk," he said, stretching his arms.

Kakashi shook his hair off, and Yuiko shielded her face from the torrent of droplets. "I'm not lying to make you feel better or anything," she said.

"I know," Kakashi replied, wading past her as he exited the spring. "It's just that we only have one night left in this bed, and I'd like to make the most of it." He reached for his towel, drying himself lightly before wrapping it around his waist.

Yuiko shrugged, returning to her lounging position. "Alright. Sleep tight, then."

Kakashi regarded her with an incredulous expression. He loudly cleared his throat to catch her gaze. "I understand now why the Anbu didn't send you on seduction missions."

Yuiko's eyes grew wide, her cheeks turning a bright shade of pink. "Oh."

Kakashi chuckled. "Come on, you can model your birthday present for me," he said, stepping through the door.

Yuiko's eyes narrowed. "I'd rather die."

"If we're playing 'would you rather?'" Kakashi said, leaning back in to view, "would you rather wear the outfit, or nothing at all? I've hidden everything else, so those are your only options. It's a win-win for me, either way."

Yuiko stood, grabbing her towel. "I'm starting to question Konoha's judgment of who they put in charge."

"Well, you're both stuck with me," Kakashi said with a smile. "All you can do now is make the most of it."

* * *

A/N: I hope ya'll enjoyed that little piece of fluff :P

The next (much longer) arc starts up in the following chapter! :)


	90. Chapter 90

A/N: So today was going to be the start of the next arc, but then I had a fun chat about expanding on an idea from the honeymoon arc, and here we are. I think this will also be a good place to take a short break, since my Beta will be out of town next week and I'm going to hold off on posting any more chapters until the week after that. I hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving (or just a lovely week in general, for those of you outside the U.S.), and we'll pick back up again soon!

.

.

The scowl on Sakura's face intensified. She clutched her steaming cup of tea, staring at the shelf across the living room. Upon that shelf sat the gift her former sensei had brought her from his honeymoon. The stuffed animal sat front-and-center, its bulging eyes surveying her living room from above like some sort of demented gargoyle. Sakura was quickly beginning to regret her decision of where she had placed it.

Sakura had almost laughed when she unwrapped the thing. The eyes on the stuffed animal were comically large, and a goofy grin adorned its snout behind the long, red tongue hanging from its mouth. She may have found it cute when she was a child, but now it just looked ridiculous.

Her laughter died out, however, when she raised her eyes to regard the people sitting opposite her. Kakashi had leaned forward in his chair, watching her with an air of hope that she had never witnessed before. The corner of Sakura's smile twitched, and her eyes slowly shifted to Kakashi's wife. Yuiko watched her with a strained smile as her gaze shifted back and forth from Sakura and her husband. As their eyes locked, Yuiko's nonverbal message was loud and clear.

 _Please._

"It's very … great," Sakura ended up choking out.

Kakashi had been delighted. It warmed Sakura's heart to see the new Hokage so giddy over something, and she made sure to ham up placing the stuffed animal on a prized spot in the middle of her shelf. Sakura felt a little guilty for her faux excitement, but it wasn't like it was a _complete_ lie. It was the first gift Kakashi had ever picked out for her, which still meant something regardless of what the item may be.

But as the days passed, Sakura slowly started to regret the gift's placement. It looked starkly out of place between the medical books and framed pictures flanking it on the shelf; an odd childish totem among the very 'grown up' items at its side. It was also – for lack of a better word – creepy. Its bug-eyes seemed to follow her across the room, and she felt oddly paranoid whenever she turned her back to it. It was why she now stood drinking her morning tea staring down the item instead of her normal place at the table.

 _This is stupid._

Sakura reached up, placing her hand atop the toy. She turned the item around so that it was now facing the wall. Sakura let out a content sight.

 _Yeah, it's stupid, but man do I feel better now._

.

.

Weeks passed, and the toy faded into the back of Sakura's mind. She would still smile at it occasionally, which she found much easier now without having to regard its face. But for the most part, the stuffed dog became as much of a background fixture as the furniture and framed pictures about the living room. It was for that reason that she completely forgot to turn the stuffed animal back around when the Hokage and his wife came for dinner. It wasn't until Sakura was cleaning up after her guests had long gone that she noticed. Sakura had let out a relived sigh, figuring that her former sensei would have likely made a snide remark of some sort if he had spotted it. It appeared that she had been lucky, and she smiled in contentment as she finished up cleaning the last of the dishes.

–

Unbeknownst to Sakura, Kakashi had in fact noticed the new position of the gift. The perceived slight panged a little at first, but as dinner progressed, Kakashi found that he couldn't stay upset at his former student. What he hoped for more was that Yuiko wouldn't notice, since he knew she would be quick to smugly mention that she had been right all along about Sakura's preferences. He concluded that both his wife and Sakura had odd taste, since he couldn't imagine the little pink dog doing anything other than melting the hearts of anyone who observed it. But for whatever reason, Sakura didn't share the sentiment.

He may not have been upset, but Kakashi couldn't drop the fact that his precious student had lied to his face.

A little white lie didn't deserve a harsh punishment. But it did deserve a punishment, none-the-less.

.

.

Sakura rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she walked toward the kitchen. She longed for the future when her shifts at the hospital would become less erratic.

"Maybe when Lady Tsunade gets back," she sighed. "I don't know if I can handle working another double this week."

Sakura put on the kettle and reached into a cabinet for some tea bags. Her hand froze as her fingers brushed the box. There was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind telling her that something wasn't right. Being a shinobi, Sakura knew to trust these instincts.

Sakura whipped about, putting her hands up in a fighting stance. Her eyes slowly panned over her surroundings as she tried to pick up what her subconscious had perceived as being out of place. Sakura's gaze landed on her shelf, her brow furrowing slightly.

The stuffed dog was facing outward. Sakura stared at it for a few seconds, her muscles beginning to relax.

 _When did I …?_

Sakura shook her head. She had dusted the shelf a few days ago, and she must have placed the toy back without thinking.

 _Maybe I should just leave it?_

Sakura chuckled as she crossed the room. She swiftly turned the toy back to face the wall.

 _Sorry, not today._

.

.

Sakura yelped. She had gotten up in the middle of the night to fetch a glass of water, but ran in to something rather unexpected. The stuffed dog sat in the middle of her dining room table, facing the hallway where she had emerged.

"Show yourself!" Sakura demanded. She raised her fists as she worked to sense any sign of the intruder. She could feel the faint chakra signatures of her neighbors, but nothing more.

"What do you want?" Sakura shouted. She remained still for a few more seconds, but no answer came. Sakura began to stalk around the house, picking a kunai up along the way. A little over half an hour passed, and she had yet to find any traces of another person. Nothing else appeared to have been moved, and she didn't notice anything missing. The only item out of place was the stuffed dog.

Sakura returned to the living room, eyeing the toy warily. She picked it up, tilting it to and fro as she tried to detect anything unusual.

 _This has 'Naruto' written all over it,_ she thought with a scowl.

Her friend had come to visit the other day, poking fun at Sakura over the toy. He joked that Kakashi must have liked him better since he was clearly given the superior gift. Sakura had snapped back that she would take a weird looking stuffed animal over the mountain of sodium Naruto considered to be a meal any day.

 _That idiot is just trying to get a rise out of me,_ Sakura thought, fire behind her eyes as she looked down at the pink object.

Sakura placed the toy back on the shelf, facing the wall. She had to forgo some precious sleep, but she spent the next hour setting traps and placing simple seals around the house. It wasn't anything fancy, but it would certainly keep an idiot like Naruto from sneaking in without her knowing about it.

Sakura sighed in satisfaction. She finally had her glass of water, and returned to bed.

–

Sakura hummed a happy tune as she passed through her living room the next morning. She glanced at the very empty table, a smug smile on her face. She opened up the fridge and reached in to grab breakfast. Sakura stayed her hand as she stared in shock.

The stuffed dog was in the fridge, sitting atop the egg container. Sakura's head snapped around as she looked up at the empty spot on the shelf between the books and picture frame. Her head turned back slowly as she regarded the toy with eyes the size of dinner plates.

 _What … What?!_

"How …?" Sakura squeaked. She had set traps. She had put up warding seals that would let her know immediately if anyone tried to get in or out of her home. How was this possible?

Sakura hesitantly grabbed the toy and slowly walked back to the living room. She placed it on the table and sat before it; putting her elbows on the table and resting her chin in her hands as she regarded it.

"I was kind of out of it last night," Sakura mumbled. "I got my water from the pitcher in the fridge. I must have put this thing in there without thinking. Yes, that makes sense."

Sakura groaned, rubbing her eyes. "Maybe I'm sleep walking again? Mom said I used to do that sometimes when I wasn't sleeping well."

Sakura nodded, looking back up at the stuffed dog. "Yeah, that's it. This is all just in my head. I'll take care of it tonight."

.

.

"Perfect!"

Sakura put her hands on her hips as she proudly looked at the strings of bells hanging from her bedroom door frame. The tinkling of bells would surely wake her up if she tried to walk through in the night.

Sakura had forgone placing the stuffed pink dog back on the shelf, instead opting to lock it in her desk in her small home office. She knew that it was silly, but it was another surefire way to make sure she couldn't easily get to it during a sleepwalking episode.

"Time for bed!" she chirped, flicking off the light as she snuggled herself up under the covers.

–

Sakura stretched her arms above her head as she yawed. She sighed in contentment as she lifted herself up into a sitting position and gazed briefly at the gentle sunlight coming in through the curtains. Humming to herself, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and slipped her feet into her house slippers.

Sakura made her way down the hall and to the restroom. After relieving herself and brushing her teeth, she pulled back the shower curtain to get the hot water running.

–

"Sakura?"

Mrs. Kaneko knocked again. She turned to look back at her husband, who stood a few feet down the walkway with a worried expression. Mrs. Kaneko considered asking him to find a shinobi, when Sakura's front door slowly squeaked open.

Mrs. Kaneko's brow furrowed as she regarded the young woman. There was a haunted look behind Sakura's green eyes, and her hair was frazzled. Her pink polka-dotted pajama top had slid down one shoulder, adding to her overall look of dishevelment.

"Sakura, are you alright?" Mrs. Kaneko asked. "We heard screaming."

Sakura continued to stare back at the older woman, almost as if she wasn't there. Mrs. Kaneko turned around briefly to share another worried look with her husband. Her eyes wandered back to the young medical nin who – up until this point – had been nothing but a delight to have as a neighbor.

"I'm fine," Sakura said flatly. "Everything is fine. I'm sorry I worried you."

Mrs. Kaneko nodded reluctantly. "If you're sure. Please don't hesitate to ask us if you need anything."

Sakura didn't answer. Her front door slowly creeped shut. Mrs. Kaneko stared at it in confusion before turning and meeting her husband at the end of the walkway.

"Let's stop by again tomorrow," her husband whispered. Mrs. Kaneko nodded firmly in agreement

.

.

"Hey! Are you seriously making me use my key instead of coming to the door? Rude!"

Ino strode in to the empty living room, looking about. "I know you're here, Sakura. You better have a good excuse for blowing off our lunch today. This is the first time in weeks we've both been off."

Ino's eye narrowed, a pout touching her lips when she heard no response.

"Sakura?"

Ino walked through the living room into the hallway. There was light shining from under the closed door to Sakura's bedroom. There were also a number of bells hanging outside the door, which caused Ino to quirk her eyebrow.

"Hey, Saku–"

Something shifted beneath Ino's foot. She looked down in confusion at the slip of paper that had been painted to match the wooden flooring. Ino picked up the sound of a soft 'click' to her right, and she turned her head as the wall was enveloped in smoke. On instinct, Ino kicked out her legs and she fell flat on her back as a wave of senbon shot out from the smoke. The senbon flew overhead and stuck firmly into the opposite wall. Ino let out a gasp as one of the senbon flew close enough to slice off a small chunk of her bangs.

Sakura's door slammed open. Ino pushed herself up on her elbows and grimaced at the sight. Sakura was dressed in full field gear, her hair pulled back in a short ponytail. She held an exploding tag in one hand while she brandished her fist with the other.

"WHAT THE HELL, SAKURA?!" Ino shouted. She rose to her feet, scowling. "If you didn't want to meet me for lunch, you could have just said so!"

Sakura stared at Ino as if she was dissecting her. After a few seconds, Sakura dropped her stance and disappeared into her room without a word. Info waffled for a moment before hesitantly stepping forward. If Sakura had lain any more traps, she most certainly didn't want to trigger anything.

Ino reached out to part the bells as she peaked in to Sakura's room. She gasped.

There were outposts during the war that had a smaller weapons cache than what Sakura had gathered. Neat rows of kunai, senbon, tags, smoke bombs, and a variety of other items lined the walls and floor. Sakura's bed seemed to be the only piece of furniture unaffected, but knowing Sakura, Ino was sure that looks could be deceiving.

"Sakura, what's going on?" Ino asked, eyeing her friend warily. Sakura sat crossed legged on the floor, scribbling notes in to a notebook.

"The war never ended, Ino," Sakura said, raising her head to stare off into the distance. "It's only beginning."

"Huh?"

Sakura turned her head to regard Ino with a steady stare. Ino's confused expression shifted into one of worry.

"Sakura, have you been sleeping?"

"When I can," Sakura said. "When the enemy lets me."

"Sakura, what the hell are you talking about?"

Sakura closed her eyes, a weak smile touching her lips as she chuckled. "Oh, Ino. Sweet, innocent Ino."

Ino crossed her arms, an annoyed expression taking over her face as she leaned against the door frame.

"I'm going to win, Ino," Sakura said, a crazed look in her eyes. "I could destroy it at any time. I know that. It knows that. But that's not the game. The game is to catch it in the act. I'm going to _win,_ Ino."

Ino sighed. She pushed herself from the door frame and made her way to Sakura. Ino shoved a pile of ninja wire out of the way as she knelt before her and made herself comfortable.

"Alright dum-dum, let me see," she said, putting her hands on the sides of Sakura's face.

"If you wish," Sakura said. "But there will be no going back."

"Kami, you're so weird," Ino mumbled. She furrowed her brow and Ino grew still. She flooded Sakura's system with her own chakra as she reached in to pull out Sakura's memories.

 _Aww, what a cute toy!_

 _Wait …_

 _Huh, that's weird. She's probably right though about her sleepwalking. She has been pushing herself pretty hard lately._

 _Wait, the shower? Why …_

 _Oh, it's in the hallway now. How'd it get there?_

 _It's … it's closer. Why is it closer?_

 _Jeez, that's a lot of traps. I got lucky the hall one was the only one I tripped._

 _Damn it, Sakura! Don't rig your fridge to explode!_

 _OH KAMI!_

Ino pulled her hands away in alarm. She had seen it. She had seen the night before, when Sakura regained consciousness as something soft brushed across her nose. Sakura had slowly opened her eyes, puzzled at the long, felt tongue tickling her face. She had screamed in terror as she took in the sight of the pink horror hanging from ninja wire, dangling mere inches from where she slept.

"Where … is that thing now?" Ino asked hesitantly.

"Down the hall," Sakura said, her voice devoid of emotion. "That's where I threw it this morning. Don't worry, it only moves at night."

Ino took a deep breath. She gave Sakura a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We should kill it with fire."

A fierce resolve gleamed behind Sakura's eyes. "No! That's not it! If I destroy it, then I might never find out why this is happening! I have to know!"

The two women fell into a sullen silence. Ino furrowed her brow in thought.

"You got that thing from Lord Hokage, right?"

Sakura nodded.

"Did you ever ask him where he got it?"

Sakura met Ino's gaze, her eyes growing wide. "No. No I didn't even think of it. Maybe … maybe there's a seal on it."

"Or maybe it contains the trapped spirit of a murderer," Ino chuckled. She quickly wiped the smile off her face when it was clear that Sakura didn't find her joke amusing.

"Thanks, Ino," Sakura said. "I'm going to go pay my old sensei a visit."

–

"Sakura! How good to see you!"

Kakashi regarded her with a gleeful expression as Sakura crossed his office. She placed the box in her arms before him with a thud.

"What's this?" Kakashi asked, tilting his head as he studied the plain box.

"I need to ask you something," Sakura said. She placed her palm atop the box, undoing the simple holding seal. As the seal faded, Sakura removed the lid. She lifted the stuffed dog out, planting it on Kakashi's desk.

"Oh, do you want another one?" Kakashi asked, his eyes turning up in a smile. "I know how much you liked this one."

Sakura kept her stone-faced expression. "Where did this come from?" she asked.

"Ah, I knew you wanted another one," Kakashi said, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair. "But I'm afraid getting another stuffed toy would be difficult. You see, Yuiko and I came across an old gypsy woman on our honeymoon. She had a variety of knick-knacks, but this particular item caught my eye. She tried telling me some nonsense about it being 'cursed', but it was obviously just a little tale to try to drive up the price. Some people love getting things that have an air of mystery to them. I was able to haggle her down to a fairly reasonable price, though. Not to say that your present was cheap!"

Kakashi chuckled. He opened his eyes and regarded Sakura coolly as she stared at him.

"You," she whispered.

"Hmm?" Kakashi said, raising his brow.

"It was you," Sakura said. "This whole time. No one else could get through those traps. No else would even care to."

Kakashi chuckled. "Ah, you got me. Took you longer than I expected, though. Our little game of cat and mouse was fun though, wasn't it?"

–

Yuiko balanced two bento boxes in one hand while she opened the door to Kakashi's office with the other. She peeked in to the room just in time to see Kakashi's desk explode in a shower of splinters under Sakura's fist. Kakashi was crouched on the ceiling, smiling sheepishly as he waved his hand in a casual manner.

"It really wasn't _that_ bad," he said. "I thought you were having fun!"

Sakura roared, lifting Kakashi's office chair above her head as she threw it in his direction. Yuiko sighed and closed the door to shut out the sound of shattering glass.

"Maybe I can find someone else to have lunch with today," she mused, making her way down the hall.


	91. Chapter 91

Naruto put his hand in his pocket, rummaging about until he found the key to his apartment. He squinted his eyes in frustration over the extra few seconds it took him to find the keyhole in the dark and made a mental note (which he would promptly forget) to change the light. He turned the key and opened the door, basking in the warmth radiating from inside. Both the lights and the heat were on; he had a bad habit of forgetting to turn them off when he left home. His upcoming energy bill was the last thing on his mind, however, as he kicked off his shoes and brought his hand up to loosen the scarf around his neck. Suddenly, something shot out from the wall and stopped before him.

"How could you do that to my old room?" Yuiko yelled, pointing at him accusingly.

"Yuiko?!" Naruto yelped, blinking down at her.

"You've gone and turned it back into a 'trash closet!'" Yuiko continued, putting her hands on her hips. "Also, you should really use your hamper instead of the floor for your dirty clothes. They've been washed and are hanging up now, by the way."

Naruto groaned dramatically as he raised his eyes to the ceiling. "First off, you hardly lived in this apartment. You only stayed here for like a week after the war before you moved in with Kakashi-Sensei. Secondly …" Naruto brought his head down, putting himself face-to-face with her. "You moved out over a year ago! It doesn't matter what I do with it!"

"That doesn't mean you should trash it," Yuiko countered.

"It's not trash!" Naruto said, throwing his hands in the air. "They're all presents from the Rinne Festival! People just keep givin' me stuff; I don't know what to do with it all!"

Yuiko sighed and crossed her arms. "Well, at least try to organize it in some way. It's a disaster. And you can always give away stuff you don't want — I mean, don't let the gift givers find out, but —" She stopped suddenly, staring at him with an odd expression. "Where did you get that?"

Naruto followed her gaze down to the scarf around his neck. "Oh! Um …"

Yuiko stepped forward and gingerly ran her hand along the green and white yarn. "Kushina made this," she said, her voice soft with wonder.

"Y-yeah!" Naruto said, a smile growing on his face. "Konohamaru found it with some stuff Gramps had in storage. You recognize it, huh?"

Yuiko nodded, her eyes locked on the scarf. Naruto looked at her, unnerved by the sudden shift in attitude.

"I thought —" Yuiko's voice wavered, "I thought it was lost. I had no idea what happened to your parents' things after I left the village. She … spent so much time knitting that for you. Kushina was awful at it; I think this scarf was her eighth try or something." Yuiko was smiling now, a tear falling down her cheek.

"Aw, come on," Naruto said softly. "My mom wouldn't want to know she made you cry."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Yuiko laughed as she wiped her face. "Sorry, I just cry at the drop of a hat these days. I mean, I've always kind of been that way, but recently any little thing just sets me off."

Naruto looked at her with concern, but Yuiko waved her hands around when she caught his gaze. "I mean, it's good crying!" she said quickly, "like someone helping a duckling across the road or a stranger buying a little girl a new dango skewer when she drops it …"

Yuiko's voice trailed off as her eyes grew dewy. She grabbed the end of Naruto's scarf, shoving her face into soft fibers. Naruto gagged as the scarf tightened around his neck.

"IT'S JUST SO BEAUTIFUL!" Yuiko wailed.

Naruto put his hands on her shoulders and forcefully made her take a step back. Yuiko didn't seem to notice as she released the scarf and started wiping her eyes again with her sleeve.

"Uh, well," Naruto said, racking his brain for a quick exit to the conversation. "I think I'm gonna see if I can track down Hinata. I ran into her earlier, and she was acting weird, so I'm going to make sure she's OK."

Yuiko's head snapped up. Naruto flinched from the serious expression on her face. "What did you do?" she demanded.

"Huh? Nothing!" Naruto said defensively. "I was just talkin' to her like normal, and she ran off! She was the one acting weird!"

Yuiko stared at him for a moment before relaxing her features. "You and Hinata," she said, stepping forward to pat his cheek. "You two are just too cute."

Yuiko stepped past Naruto to throw on her coat and slip on her shoes. "Good luck!" she chirped, giving him a small wave as she exited the apartment. Naruto stared after her, dumbfounded.

"Huh?"

—

Yuiko pulled her coat tighter around herself, smiling as she took in the bustling nightlife. Shops were staying open later and later as the Rinne Festival approached, taking advantage of last-minute shoppers looking to find gifts for their loved ones. Yuiko had collected everything she needed weeks ago, but she still liked to bask in the twinkling lights and the red glow of the lanterns that transformed the marketplace into an almost magical scene.

The lights faded as she left the market, the road now only lit by moonlight. Small patches of snow clung to the sides of fences and houses, where the shadows kept them from melting during the day. It had been an unusually early snowstorm, but to the dismay of all the children in Konoha, it had only been an inch or two.

Like most shinobi — along with other professions that required long stays outdoors — the rapidly approaching winter was Yuiko's least favorite season. Winter meant burning extra chakra to stay warm and walk above the snow, along with forfeiting all cover from the tree branches. Her new assignment would also involve a lot of standing or sitting still for long periods of time, and looking out over the forest surrounding Konoha was a lot less interesting when all there was to see were dormant trees and the occasional crow.

Yuiko rounded a corner, exiting the quiet neighborhood and continuing to stroll along the river. Up ahead, the small cottage she shared with Kakashi came into view. It had been built as a wedding present by Yamato and a few others while she and Kakashi were on their honeymoon a little over a year ago. It wasn't anything fancy; with just two bedrooms, a small office/library, kitchen, bathroom, and living room, it would be hard for an outsider to guess that it had been built for a Hokage. But both Yuiko and Kakashi were used to living in smaller spaces, and Kakashi especially had never been keen on drawing attention. The only unusual aspect of the house was the two large oak trees in the front yard that Yamato had cultivated for the sole purpose of being able to hang a hammock between them. The sentiment from first seeing the house and the smiling faces of everyone there to greet them had brought tears to Yuiko's eyes, but it wasn't until Kakashi first laid down in the hammock that he got a little dewy-eyed himself.

Yuiko paused after passing the trees, taking in the light shining through the kitchen window. A smile crept across her face, and she ran excitedly to the front door. She stepped into the warm entryway, pulling off her gloves and sliding her coat off her shoulders. After hanging her coat and slipping off her shoes, she made her way to the mirror hanging on the wall outside the kitchen. She ran her fingers through her bangs before trying to smooth the two mounds of hair that bent into small triangles atop her head. They promptly stuck back up. Yuiko let out a huff, turned away from the mirror, and walked determinedly into the kitchen.

Kakashi looked up coolly from the paper he held in one hand as Yuiko paused in the entryway.

"Welcome h—"

Kakashi was nearly shoved out of his seat as Yuiko wrapped her arms around him. Kakashi's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink, but it wasn't entirely due to his emotional state.

"Yuiko — air," he gasped. Yuiko released him, regarding him with a gleeful expression. Kakashi coughed, inhaling deeply.

"I thought you'd be at the conference for another few days!" she said.

"I was supposed to, originally," he said, the corner of his eyes crinkling as he looked up at her. He was certainly happy to be home, but the somber news from the conference was putting a damper on things. He technically should have headed straight for the Hokage tower, but the issue wasn't an emergency just yet, so he decided to let it rest until morning.

"Is it anything you can talk about, or only super-secret Hokage stuff?" Yuiko asked playfully, sitting down across from him at the table.

"It's no secret, but I'd rather not talk about it until I have more information," Kakashi said, putting down the paper in his hand.

The issue was actually quite disturbing — it seemed that something was going on with the Moon's gravitational pull. Astronomers from all five nations had been studying the phenomenon, and it appeared that something was happening to cause the Moon to drag itself closer to Earth. There was no explanation for it at the moment, but they all agreed that the resulting debris breaking off from the Moon's surface could cause serious damage if they don't handle the situation. For the time being, this was an issue that could only be handled by Konoha's scientists; there was no reason for Kakashi to raise an alarm among everyone just yet. He felt a little guilty not sharing his concerns with Yuiko, but there was no reason to worry her over something she couldn't do anything about.

"Well," Yuiko said, putting her hands in her lap, "then I guess I'll just tell you what _I'm_ doing. I finished my analysis of the barrier, and I found that we actually have holes in the higher-elevation areas. Now I know it isn't common to be attacked from the air, but I think I can amplify the effects of the current barrier seal to fix it …"

Kakashi smiled at his wife as she chatted away, excusing herself at one point to fetch a scroll and brush so she could better demonstrate the seal she was working on.

Yuiko took to the barrier team like a fish to water, much to Kakashi's delight. The suggestion that she join the team had been a little selfish on his part, since being a part of the barrier team meant that one rarely left Konoha unless there was a mission requiring their specific skills. But Yuiko didn't seem to mind, and she was doing well enough that her fellow jōnin were open to the idea of making her the team's captain. Kakashi wanted to avoid any gossip concerning nepotism, so he decided to sit on the issue for a while and wait until Yuiko became a little more established before making the suggestion to the entire jōnin council. It wouldn't be a hard sell, considering her knowledge of fūinjutsu.

Watching Yuiko build a seal was quite a sight to behold. Kakashi wasn't really taking in every meaning behind the symbols she put down, but he enjoyed watching her make the quick, accurate brush strokes along the paper. As much as he loved her, "graceful" wasn't a term he would usually use to describe Yuiko. Like all shinobi, her movements were fluid and calculated, but they also lacked a sense of self-assurance. However, her confidence shone like a beacon when she created seals, her hand practically flying over the paper in a delicate dance. Watching her in her element warmed his heart, and he was glad he had decided to come home instead of heading for the tower.

"It's getting late," he said after a while, gently placing his hand on her wrist. Yuiko blinked at him, almost as if she had forgotten he was there. Her eyes widened, her mouth stretching into a worried line.

"I'm so sorry!" she said, distressed. "You probably have to head in early! I wasn't even thinking about the time."

Kakashi laughed, rising to his feet. "I said it was getting late, not that I need to sleep."

He reached over the small table, tenderly tucking her hair behind her ear. "It's been almost a week since I last saw you, you know."

Yuiko put down the ink brush, smiling coyly. "How charming. Did you think of that line all by yourself?"

"What?" Kakashi said, leaning toward her. "It didn't work?"

"I didn't say that," Yuiko said, her fingers brushing along his cheek as she tugged at the edge of his face mask.

A low rumble began to shake the room, the dinnerware in the cabinets tinkling around them. The pair stood bolt upright as they looked about in confusion. Yuiko grabbed Kakashi's arm and they leapt upward, phasing through the ceiling and landing on the roof.

Something large passed overhead that left a bright streak of fiery orange light in its wake. Yuiko's jaw dropped. She followed the path of the meteor as it flew over Konoha, a cloud of grey ash trailing its descent.

The meteor soared over the great stone faces and disappeared from view. A few seconds later, an explosion lit up the sky, shadowed by a deafening boom.

Yuiko and Kakashi fought to keep their balance as the shock wave hit. Yuiko winced at the sound of various items smashing against the kitchen floor below. As the tremors ceased, they started to hear shouts as people took to the streets. In the blink of an eye, at least a dozen Anbu materialized around them, standing and crouching among the rooftops.

"Well, that's my cue," Kakashi said in a tired tone. Yuiko looked at him suspiciously, puzzled that he wasn't more alarmed. He caught her gaze, and his shoulders slumped. "Remember that not-really-secret Hokage stuff? This isn't an attack or anything; we knew it was coming, but it did land much closer than we suspected. That should be the only one, for the time being."

Yuiko nodded, the tenseness in her shoulders subsiding. "Sounds like a lot of paperwork," she said.

"You have no idea," Kakashi sighed, giving the hand sign for 'emergency assistance' to the Anbu around him. All of the Anbu, except for their two personal guards, dissipated in a flash.

"It doesn't look too bad, at first glance," Yuiko said, scanning the buildings she could make out in the darkness. Everything still seemed to be standing, and there were no signs of fire or power outages. "I'll join the Anbu to see if anyone needs help, unless this requires the barrier team."

"No, this threat is … different," Kakashi said haltingly. "I'll fill you in later."

* * *

A/N: I'm sure some of you are finding this story line familiar. I told myself awhile back that I wasn't going to incorporate any of the movies into this story, but The Last is the only canon one so I decided 'why not?'

If there are any of you who have not seen The Last - fear not! I've written the story from a very different point of view, where only one scene overlaps with the movie. There will definitely be references that will make more sense if you've seen it, but it certainly isn't necessary to understand what's going on. And, obviously, things are going to play out slightly differently than in the movie, so there's that too. In fact, Yuiko makes things worse! She doesn't mean to... but she does. Haha


	92. Chapter 92

"Enter."

Kakashi raised his eyes from the folder in his hand as his office door swung open. Hinata Hyūga stepped over the threshold, followed closely by her cousin Neji. Neji shut the door behind them, and the visitors stepped up to his desk.

Kakashi regarded the two of them intently. His expression softened as he studied Hinata; the poor girl looked far paler than usual. There was a tremble to her hands she had firmly clasped at her naval. Her cousin, on the other hand, could have been carved from stone for all the emotion he revealed. Kakashi had known Neji long enough to know that this was simply a front — the young man had years of experience schooling his features to hide any signs of turmoil beneath the surface. He reminded Kakashi of himself, in many ways.

"Let's start with what we know," Kakashi said, deciding to cut to the chase. "Hanabi Hyūga disappeared from the Hyūga estate sometime within the last hour, shortly before the meteor appeared over Konoha. Soon after, there was an attempted kidnapping of her older sister, Hinata Hyūga."

Hinata's gaze dropped to the floor, her lip trembling.

"From what you reported," Kakashi continued, addressing Hinata, "I believe your sister was kidnapped by the man who attempted to take you as well. The timing leads me to believe that this man — Toneri — may also have something to do with the meteor."

This elicited a raised eyebrow from Neji, but Kakashi plowed on. "I've read over the report of the kidnapper's description. It's undesirably short. Are you absolutely sure that you've never seen Toneri before?"

"I'm certain," Hinata answered quickly, raising her lilac eyes. "I've never seen him before. Please, do you know who he is?"

Kakashi's eyebrows drooped. "No. As of now, we haven't been able to find any information on him. I've already sent his description to the other nations; if we're lucky, we'll soon figure out who he is and why he took your sister."

Neji shifted slightly. He balled his hands into fists as he regarded his cousin. "I'm sorry, Hinata," he said solemnly. "It is my duty to protect you and your sister, and I failed. I have no excuse for not being at Hanabi's side. I was careless to think that the standard security would be enough, especially without your father here."

Hinata forcefully shook her head. "Don't say that! It's my fault Hanabi was taken! I should have been home with her. Instead, I was …" Hinata's voice trailed off, a morose look falling over her face.

"If it's anyone's fault, it's mine," Kakashi interjected. The pair looked at him as if to protest, but Kakashi held up his hand. "One of my citizens was kidnapped from the heart of the village. It would have been two, had Naruto not happened to be nearby. This is inexcusable on my part, and for that I want to let you both know I will do everything within my power to bring Hanabi home."

A determined look grew on Hinata's face. "Please," she said, a hint of firmness to her usually soft voice, "please allow me to be on the team you assign to go after Hanabi! I'm sure she's terrified; I have to go after her, as her big sister."

"Hinata," Neji interjected. "That is too dangerous. It would not be wise for you to be unprotected."

"Neji's right," Kakashi said. The determination drained from Hinata's gaze under Kakashi's impersonal stare. "But," Kakashi continued, "that's why you won't be going alone."

A glimmer of hope returned to Hinata's eyes. Neji quickly shot Kakashi a disapproving glare.

"Your skillset will be useful for tracking Hanabi down," Kakashi continued, ignoring Neji. "I'll assign Naruto and Sakura to the team to ensure your safety. If we're lucky, Toneri will reveal himself again. I may be biased, but I have a feeling that Naruto and Sakura should be more than enough to take care of him."

Hinata gave Kakashi a weak smile. "Thank you, Lord Hokage."

"No titles, please," Kakashi said, smiling kindly.

"Lord Hokage."

Kakashi sighed, shifting his attention back to Neji.

"I would also like to request to be assigned to Hanabi's rescue team," Neji stated bluntly.

"Request denied."

Neji's brow knit in displeasure. "I do not feel —"

"There's something else I need to ask you two," Kakashi interjected. He put his elbows on the desk, lacing his fingers together. "Where is Hiashi Hyūga?"

Hinata's eyes widened in confusion; Neji's expression hardened. Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he regarded the young man.

"Lord Hiashi is conducting Hyūga clan business outside of the village," Neji replied curtly.

"That's what I've been told," Kakashi said, keeping his voice steady. "And I assume that's what you've also been told. However, I think we're both on the same wavelength and find the fact that Hiashi has been absent for over a week with no communication to be suspicious, given the current circumstances. Normally I wouldn't be concerned, since it's still well within the time frame he gave for his return. However, if you have any more information concerning his destination, I need you to tell me so I can send a team to confirm his safety."

Neji averted his gaze in thought. "I do not know where Lord Hiashi went," he said slowly. "He received a letter a few days before his departure, and he appeared distressed by its contents. He would not mention the reason behind his stress, even when the clan elders inquired." Neji raised his eyes to meet Kakashi's. "Do you believe he is in danger?"

"I don't know," Kakashi replied mildly. "But considering everything that's going on, I have a hunch that your uncle may know what's happening here. I intend to send a team out immediately to track him down."

Neji nodded in concurrence. "Then please at least allow me to find my uncle," he said earnestly. "It would be to everyone's benefit for us to find him quickly, and I believe that I am qualified to do so."

"You are very qualified," Kakashi concurred. "But no."

If there was ever a time when Neji Hyūga's years of training to be polite to his superiors nearly failed, it was then. Kakashi did his best to hide his amusement at the pink hue creeping up Neji's face. The young man's former sensei would have been proud to see his fiery expression, Kakashi was sure.

"With both Hiashi and Hinata out of the village," Kakashi said coolly, "the Hyūga clan will need someone to guide them. You have been doing an excellent job bridging the gap between the main family and the branch family as the two of them have started to reconcile, and I believe you are the best option to lead them during this time."

Neji's stone-faced expression returned. Kakashi watched him patiently. Surprisingly, it was Hinata who spoke up.

"Our family needs you, Neji," she said softly. Neji turned slightly to regard her, his face still revealing no emotion.

"I believe father would feel the same," Hinata continued, smiling gently. "I'm sure everyone is scared after what happened to Hanabi. They need someone strong to keep them together. You're the best person to do that."

Neji regarded Hinata for a moment, unmoving. He closed his eyes, and then opened them again to regard Kakashi. He gave the Hokage a curt nod. Kakashi returned it.

"I'll keep you informed," Kakashi said. "Please also question the clan elders about this man Toneri, and let me know immediately if anyone has any more information about him or where Hiashi may have gone. Hinata," Kakashi's gaze shifted back to her, "Shikamaru is going to lead Hanabi's rescue team. He'll contact you when his preparations are complete. I suggest you go home and try to get as much rest as you can."

Hinata nodded, although it was clear to everyone in the room that the likelihood of her being able to relax enough to sleep was slim. Neji put his hand on Hinata's shoulder as the two of them turned to leave the office. Kakashi watched them go, the door shutting with a soft click. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. With a sigh, he hunched forward, opening up the folder he had been reading earlier. Hinata wasn't the only one who was going to be up all night.

.

* * *

.

"Thank you," Kakashi said absently, keeping his eyes on the report in front of him. Yuiko placed down the cup of tea alongside his bento box, watching him with a worried expression. Kakashi hadn't returned home since the meteor passed by, and it was now getting into late morning of the following day. Yuiko had a feeling that he hadn't stopped to eat or rest during that time.

This was the first time Yuiko had seen him like this since he became Hokage. She was torn — as his wife, she felt that she should urge him to get some rest for his own good; but as a jōnin of Konoha, the idea of telling the Hokage what to do while he sat in his own office felt more than a little wrong. She recalled that Kushina never had a problem bossing Minato around, but Yuiko didn't possess her level of pluck. Instead, Yuiko decided to shoot Kakashi anxious glances as she hovered beside his desk.

After a few minutes, Kakashi finished flipping through the report and tossed it onto his desk with a sigh. He leaned back in his chair as he groggily looked up at Yuiko. "I remember when the only paperwork I had to worry about were mission reports," he said wistfully. "Those were the days."

Yuiko smiled softly, reaching over the desk to remove the lid of his bento box. She slid it in front of him along with a pair of chopsticks before circling the desk and taking a seat in the chair across from him.

"Shikamaru is slacking," Kakashi said, pulling down his mask. "He's supposed to babysit me while I'm here."

Yuiko chuckled. "I passed by his office earlier," she said. "He seemed pretty busy."

"He should be," Kakashi said, taking a sip of tea. "He's heading the rescue mission for Hanabi Hyūga."

Yuiko's expression grew dark as she watched Kakashi eat. The jōnin were abuzz with the news of Hanabi's kidnapping, and Kakashi had wasted little time gathering a squad to go after her.

"So Shikamaru will be leading the team?" Yuiko asked, curious to learn more.

"Yes," Kakashi said. "I've assigned Naruto, Sakura, and Sai to his team. Hinata requested to go along, and I couldn't deny her that." Kakashi raised his eyes, picking up on the confusion etched on Yuiko's face. "You're wondering why I'm sending Naruto and Sakura along."

Yuiko looked away, fiddling with her hands as she tried to find the right words. "Tracking isn't their strong suit," is what she ended up blurting out.

Kakashi smiled, putting down his chopsticks as he pulled his mask up over his face. "No, it isn't. But I have a hunch that this isn't a run-of-the-mill kidnapping. This Toneri character isn't a shinobi from any of the surrounding countries, as far as we've been able to gather. I think between Shikamaru, Sai, and Hinata their group can track him down. But they may need Naruto and Sakura if things get messy."

Yuiko nodded, bringing her eyes back to Kakashi. "Does this also have to do with Hiashi?"

Kakashi leaned his head against his hand, his eyes narrowing slightly. "It does. I was going to fill you in, but it sounds like you beat me to the punch. Who blabbed?"

Yuiko shrugged, keeping her straight-faced expression. Kakashi studied her for a moment, calculating. "You ran into Rock Lee, didn't you?" he asked.

"Maybe," Yuiko responded, watching him expectantly.

Kakashi sighed, sitting up in his chair. "Well, then you already know the basics. Hiashi Hyūga left Konoha nine days ago with two of his personal guard. He was supposedly making a social visit to an old friend, although we have been unable to unearth any information on where he was actually headed. It's possible that his disappearance is connected with Hanabi's kidnapping, so I've assigned Rock Lee, Tenten, Shino, and Kiba to check it out. I would appreciate it if you kept this information under wraps, since the last thing we need on top of Hanabi's disappearance and the Moon falling to Earth is more panic."

 _Oops._

Kakashi watched the color drain from Yuiko's face, forgetting that he hadn't already mentioned the astrological problem. His heart sank, since chatting with his wife about their impending doom really wasn't a conversation he had been looking forward to.

"The Moon has been getting closer to Earth," Kakashi stated frankly, trying to keep as much emotion out of his voice as possible. "We don't yet know what's causing it, but the sudden escalation of this problem, along with Toneri's appearance, is leading me to believe that they're related."

Yuiko broke their gaze, staring at the floor. Kakashi watched her patiently, knowing that it was a lot to let sink in. "What's going to happen?" Yuiko asked hesitantly, raising her eyes.

"Pieces of the Moon are already breaking off due to Earth's gravitational pull," Kakashi replied. "This is going to cause an increase in pieces of lunar debris, some estimated to be much larger than what we saw last night. Lucky for us, Lady Tsunade commissioned to have an underground shelter built just after the last war. This shelter is supposedly large enough to house all the citizens of the Land of Fire. Depending on what our astronomers come back with, I'll be issuing an order to start the evacuation within a day or two."

"And that will keep everyone safe?" Yuiko asked hopefully.

Kakashi took a deep breath, pulling at the fingerless glove on his left hand. He removed the glove, holding his palm up for Yuiko to see. Yuiko rose from her chair, reaching out to cup his hand in her own. Her brow furrowed as she studied the glowing symbol, which looked like the planet Earth with 12 yellow boxes around its diameter. Two of the yellow boxes were lit up, and a small, green dot circled between the picture of the Earth and the boxes.

"It's a clock," Kakashi said, keeping his eyes on Yuiko. "It's counting down to when the Moon breaks apart completely, and Earth is destroyed."

Yuiko's eyes snapped to his, her mouth opening slightly as she looked at him in disbelief. Kakashi held her gaze, unmoving. Yuiko slowly released his hand and took a few steps away from the desk. She stared at the corner of the room as she tried to process the information.

"We're still working out our options," Kakashi said, rising from his chair. "There are nine days remaining until it happens, and all five Kage have our best astronomers focusing on it."

He crossed the room to Yuiko, pulling her into a tight embrace. Yuiko was slow to return it, but nearly squeezed the air out of his lungs when she did.

"If my hunch is right," Kakashi continued after catching his breath, "and Toneri is involved, then I have a feeling Shikamaru's team will have this under control long before time runs out."

Yuiko nodded in agreement. If there was anyone who could save them from something like this, it was Naruto. He had a pretty good track record of saving the world, all things considered.

"I don't want you to be worried," Kakashi said gently. "I'm going to handle this, one way or another."

Yuiko pulled herself back, looking up at him as if he was an idiot. "You just told me that the world might end in nine days, but I shouldn't be worried," she said.

Kakashi chuckled, his eyes turning up in a smile. "Well, when you put it like _that …"_


	93. Chapter 93

A sharp knock came at the door, diverting Yuiko's attention from the picture in her hands. She set it down, crossed the room, and slid open her front door. She was more than a little surprised to see the pink-haired visitor.

"Sakura?" Yuiko said. "I thought you would have left by now."

Sakura didn't respond. Her mouth stretched into a thin line as she looked back at Yuiko with a wide-eyed expression. Yuiko had never seen Sakura like this; she was worried that something had already gone wrong with the mission. "Is everyone alright?" Yuiko asked.

Sakura seemed to get a hold of herself, briefly shaking her head before looking back at Yuiko with a smile. "Everyone's fine, sorry. I just … I wanted to see how you were doing before I left."

"Uh, fine, I think," Yuiko said, motioning for Sakura to come inside. "Considering the world might end in a little over a week, I guess I'm doing the best I can." Yuiko chuckled nervously as she closed the door behind them.

Sakura slid off her boots, watching Yuiko as she crossed the room and approached a stack of picture frames she had on the dining room table. Yuiko seemed to be removing all the pictures from their frames and sliding them into folders. Two large gear packs sat on the floor next to the table, and they looked stuffed to near capacity.

"Has Kakashi-Sensei already issued the evacuation?" Sakura asked, peering over Yuiko's shoulder as Yuiko slid a picture of Team 7 into one of the folders.

"He's meeting with the other Kage now," Yuiko responded. "It sounds like he'll be announcing it first thing tomorrow, if nothing has changed."

Yuiko continued to remove the pictures from the frames, stacking the frames neatly off to the side. After a minute of fidgeting, Sakura wandered into the kitchen and began rummaging through the fridge. Yuiko put her task on hold as she leaned over to get a better view. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," Sakura replied, almost matter-of-factly. "I'm seeing some pork in here, which is good. Make sure to get some beef too for the iron content. Is kale in season? You should get some kale."

"Huh?"

Sakura turned about. The two women stared at each other until Sakura dropped her gaze. She mumbled something to herself before raising her head up. "Just make sure you drink lots of water, OK?"

Yuiko looked at Sakura as if she'd lost her mind. Sakura closed the fridge and approached her. She quickly scanned Yuiko up and down. "Are you feeling sick? Lightheaded? Anything like that?"

Yuiko furrowed her brow. "Um, no. Are you?"

"This isn't about —"

Sakura stopped herself. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Just … take it easy, alright? Don't overexert yourself, and stay away from alcohol. You and Kakashi-Sensei aren't much for drinking, anyway, so you should be fine."

Yuiko chuckled. "You're a little young to be my mother, Sakura."

Sakura smiled, but her mirth quickly drained away as she regarded Yuiko. Yuiko went back to her pictures as Sakura watched with a grim expression. After a minute Yuiko thought she might have an idea over what the issue was.

"I'm sure you feel like you'll be leaving us unprotected," Yuiko said. Sakura blinked, her brows rising. "But we'll be alright, Sakura. Kakashi and I can handle ourselves."

"Oh!" Sakura said, her eyes growing wide at the realization. "No, it's not that. It's …"

Sakura's voice trailed off, a morose look falling across her face as she stared at Yuiko. "It's nothing."

Yuiko frowned at her, wondering if this was one of those situations where she was supposed to poke and prod until Sakura gave up information. Sakura could be like that sometimes, but it was usually over trivial things like gossip about her classmates' relationships or complaints about some of the doctors at the hospital 'always hogging all the good equipment.'

Yuiko had asked Sakura to be her personal physician after the war, since she figured she might as well have her doctor be the person who brought her back from the dead. This meant that she saw Sakura often enough, and she normally didn't mind spending time playing Sakura's game of faux reluctance when it came to gossip. Today, however, Yuiko couldn't muster up the patience. "Well," she said with a weak smile. "Just stay safe out there, OK?"

Sakura sighed, a tired expression falling over her face. "You too," she said. "What's Kakashi-Sensei's plan when it comes to that, anyway? Are there enough people who can handle a meteor storm?"

Yuiko finished sliding the last of the pictures into a folder, her brows drooping. "The infrastructure is going to have to be abandoned. Kakashi's main priority is to keep the people safe, so once Konoha is empty, all efforts to block the debris are going to follow the citizens. Even then, we don't know if we'll have enough firepower to —"

Yuiko stopped, her hand holding the folders hovering over one of the packs.

"Yuiko?" Sakura said, bending over slightly to peer at her.

"I can't believe I missed it," Yuiko said, quickly straightening up. She beamed at Sakura, who looked back at her in confusion. "Sakura, thank you!" Yuiko said, closing the gap between them and squeezing the air out of Sakura's lungs. "I never would've thought of it if you hadn't come! I have to get going to the tower, but good luck on your mission!"

"Uh, yeah," Sakura said, turning to follow Yuiko toward the front door. "What did I do again?"

.

* * *

.

"Did you miss us already, Lord Hokage?" the Tsuchikage joked.

"Yes, in fact," Kakashi answered pleasantly. "It's not like you all have anything more important to do, anyway."

This elicited a chuckle from the Tsuchikage, while the Raikage let out an impatient huff. Kakashi's eyes moved about the four screens in front of him, coolly assessing the three Kage present as they waited for the Mizukage to join them. He couldn't blame her for being late; he had called the emergency meeting only a little over an hour after their planned one had come to a close. He was going to try to keep it short for their sake, since he knew he wasn't the only Kage working through evacuation proceedings.

His eyes drifted over to Gaara, who seemed to be flipping through some paperwork while they waited. The young Kazekage was handling the situation surprisingly well, and out of all the greater nations appeared to be having the easiest time when it came to the impending meteor storms. The cliffs lining Sunagakure were filled with caves for his citizens' protection, and his sand-style jutsu was more than adequate to shield the entire village. Kakashi didn't often find himself feeling envious of others lately, but he couldn't help but wish his own operations were running as smoothly. Well, perhaps that was about to change.

"My apologizes," Mei Terumī said as she appeared on the monitor. "There was a piece of falling debris I had to take care of to protect some important farmland."

"I'm glad everyone's safe," Kakashi said, lifting his elbows from the desk as he readied himself to begin. He cleared his throat, and the eyes of the other Kage focused on him. "I called this meeting due to an important revelation that was brought to my attention." He raised his arm, indicating for someone to come closer. The lower half of another person carrying a chair came on screen. Kakashi moved himself over, his guest taking a seat.

"I'm sure you all remember my lovely wife?" Kakashi asked pleasantly.

"Lady Yuiko," a few of the Kage chorused, all of them nodding their heads in greeting. Yuiko smiled nervously, returning the nod.

"My wife actually had an idea just a little while ago, which prompted me to call this meeting," Kakashi continued. "I'm going to let her handle it from here, since she's more familiar with the details than I am."

Yuiko shot Kakashi a look that seemed to convey that this wasn't part of the plan. Kakashi shrugged innocently and rested his elbow on the table. He regarded her passively, waiting for her to begin.

Yuiko's mouth stretched into a thin line. Her eyes darted back to the Kage as she regarded them nervously. "Well," she said, her knuckles turning white as she clutched the material of her pants. "I just thought about it when I was talking to someone about the debris. It was Sakura Haruno, actually; I think you all know her. She came over to check up on me, which was a little odd, since I thought she'd left on her mission already. I was packing up pictures, I think —"

Yuiko felt Kakashi's hand over hers. She glanced over, and Kakashi gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Yuiko smiled meekly back at him.

"I decided to contact the Tailed Beasts," Yuiko said, returning her attention to the monitors. The Kage all sat up a little straighter, the Raikage's brow furrowing as he leaned over his desk. "You can do that?" he asked earnestly.

"Yes," Yuiko said, her expression brightening. "Both Naruto and I have pieces of chakra from all the Tailed Beasts, so we're capable of communicating with them telepathically. I've contacted all of them, save for the Eight and Nine-Tails, and have asked them to help us hold off the falling debris. They've agreed to help keep us safe, but what I need to know is how much aid you each believe you require so we can divide up the beasts' assignments accordingly. The Eight-Tales will be with Kumo, obviously, and the Nine-Tails is with Naruto on a mission at the moment. However, this still leaves seven Tailed Beasts, and considering that one alone should be enough to protect an area as large as Konoha, hopefully their power will be enough to keep most of the citizens safe."

Kakashi's eyes turned up in a smile as he patted her hand. Yuiko smiled at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Well, it's nice to have some good news for a change," the Tsuchikage said, shifting in his seat. "I would like to request three."

"THREE?!" The Raikage roared, his image shaking as he slammed his fist on the table.

Kakashi chuckled nervously, deciding it was about time for him to rejoin the conversation.


	94. Chapter 94

" _Naruto?"_

Yuiko waited, tapping her pencil impatiently against the table. This was only the second time she had tried reaching out to Naruto today, which took a great deal of restraint on her part.

It was shortly after returning from her honeymoon that Yuiko had discovered that not only was she able to open up a telepathic channel to the Tailed Beasts, but she could open one to Naruto as well.

Yuiko was delighted by this discovery — she began using it whenever possible to make sure Naruto was eating a balanced diet, going in for his regular appointments, or just to chat when she had some down time. Naruto politely put up with the intrusion for a while before losing his cool one day and forcefully telling her to stay out of his head. He came over later to apologize for the outburst, but admitted that Yuiko needed to give him some space to keep him from going crazy.

Yuiko relented to Naruto's demands, acknowledging that she may have gone a bit overboard. Their telepathic conversations were limited now to emergencies only — outside of the occasional party trick when the two of them were together. Suffice it to say that they were no longer allowed to be on the same team for charades.

Yuiko leaned back in her chair and looked about the concrete room. Kakashi had announced the evacuation the day prior, and she had spent all day traveling to the underground shelter. The shelter reminded her of the standard Konoha outposts, although it was obviously much larger — there were over 30 levels, all with canteens, showers, recreation rooms, toilets, and sleeping quarters. The rooms ranged in size to sleep anyone from two to a dozen, which helped with keeping as many families together as possible.

Leaving Konoha had been hard, especially with the knowledge that it was going to be left unprotected. Kakashi had made the right decision, though, and focused all their efforts on keeping the citizens safe. There was some opposition from a few members of the jōnin council, but Kakashi stated frankly that it was the people who made a village, not the structures. And so, when the two Tailed Beasts assigned to the Land of Fire arrived, which had been Kokuō and Matatabi, their primary goal was to use Beast Bombs to blow up any debris in the vast area around the shelter.

The shelter was about 50 miles due east from Konoha, and could be reached via hidden tunnels spanning from the Hokage monument and certain outposts from the north, south, and east. Kokuō told Yuiko in private that it would try to handle any debris headed west toward Konoha, but there was no guarantee that it would do much good.

Yuiko fidgeted in her seat. Her stay so far in the shelter had been fairly dull considering her assignment was basically to hang around in case she was needed to send communications to the Tailed Beasts. She had also been tasked with getting updates from Naruto, but he'd ignored her attempts at communication the day before, and it seemed like it would be the same story today. At the very least she knew he wasn't dead, since she'd received some pushback when she'd tried talking to him.

Yuiko had felt a little out of place being idle around the more frantic scenes in the shelter, so she opted to retire to her quarters while she waited. The room she was in held two twin-sized beds, a small table, two chairs, and two sets of drawers. Yuiko was supposedly sharing this room with Kakashi, although she had a feeling that with everything going on she would be lucky to actually see him here. He would likely spend most of his time in the large council room on the 15th level, and napping occasionally in one of the smaller meeting rooms that branched from it.

A thread broke free from her jumpsuit as Yuiko absentmindedly pulled at the material near her collarbone. It was there that she had taken the time to sew the Hatake clan crest, although now only a few strands of loose string remained.

Adorning one's clothes with their clan crest was common practice in Konoha, and Yuiko was delighted that she'd actually have a chance to participate. She could have, technically, added the Uzumaki eddy to her clothing before, but it seemed redundant considering it was already on just about everything else most shinobi wore.

Yuiko had been surprised when Kakashi's expression fell when she showed off her work a few months ago. He told her that he appreciated the effort, but she would need to remove the clan symbol for her own safety. Even if she only wore the clothing within the village, he didn't want anything that could be a clear marker of who she was to be so easily visible.

This had caused a bit of sulking on Yuiko's part, since she had hoped that she was done with the days that she had to hide her identity. Kakashi did his best to cheer her up by keeping her company as they removed the crests from her clothes. He talked about his family history as he pulled out the silver threads; the Hatake clan had been farmers for a long time, as it turned out. Yuiko found this interesting, since Kakashi had only shown occasional interest in house plants and at the moment only had one that lived on his desk at the tower.

Despite the disappointment of having to undo all her work, the time spent listening to Kakashi talk about his family made it a little better. The clan history itself was a bit dull at times, since there was only so much one could do to make farming seem exciting, but Kakashi seemed happy to share it with someone. Yuiko wondered if this was the first time he'd done so with anyone other than his father. She kept that in mind during the times he would pause as the clan history reached into the shinobi years closer to the present. Yuiko would fill the silence with a mundane question about clan sword fighting techniques or the color of the scarf Kakashi used to wear as a child. The light would return behind Kakashi's eyes and he would start up again as if nothing had happened.

Yuiko pulled another loose thread from her shirt, holding it up to her face. Her heart sank from the thought that she was probably only going to spend a few passing moments with Kakashi during her stay. The next few days in the shelter were looking to be fairly lonely.

" _Hey, Yuiko! You there?"_

Yuiko sat bolt upright, staring ahead of her at the wall. _"Yes, I'm here."_

" _Good. I was worried I wasn't gonna be able to get through to you,"_ Naruto's voice echoed in her head. _"I tried yesterday when I was in this weird cave place, and it didn't seem to work."_

" _Where are you?"_ Yuiko asked, picking up her pencil and flipping open her notebook to a blank page.

" _No clue,"_ Naruto replied. _"We traveled through some really old city, and the ocean is all warped and stuff."_

" _Warped?"_ Yuiko said, her brow furrowing as she took notes.

" _Yeah, Shikamaru used some weird word for it. "Dis-somthin'." Anyway, this Toneri guy is definitely around here somewhere."_

" _How did you get to the city?"_ Yuiko asked. _"Can you give me coordinates?"_

" _Err … Hold on."_

Yuiko tapped her pencil against the table, jumping slightly at the sudden sound of another voice.

" _Hello,"_ it said pleasantly. _"Am I recording now?"_

" _It's not a video, Sai,"_ Naruto's voice cut in. _"Just talk to Yuiko and she can hear you."_

" _This is exciting,"_ Sai said. _"If I close my eyes, can I see her?"_

" _No,"_ Naruto said. _"Come on, just talk."_

" _Hello Lady Yuiko,"_ Sai said. _"How is the weather today?"_

" _Raining space rocks,"_ Yuiko replied flatly. _"Naruto, how are you doing this?"_

" _Easy,"_ Naruto said, speaking over Sai as he tried to follow up with another pleasantry. _"I just give someone my chakra cloak, and they're connected as long as I'm touching them."_

" _When did you figure this out?"_ Yuiko asked.

" _Just now,"_ Naruto replied. Yuiko smiled, imagining him shrugging his shoulders and looking at her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Naruto was unexpectedly resourceful when he needed to be.

" _I'll have to give it a try sometime,"_ Yuiko said. _"Anyway, Sai, can you please tell me the coordinates of your location?"_

Sai had no idea where they were, but he was able to provide the location of the cave Naruto had mentioned earlier. It seemed that this cave was an entryway to wherever they were now, which was a series of islands Sai had never seen before.

" _Is there anything else I should know?"_ Yuiko asked when she was done taking down the information.

" _It seems that Hinata is a princess,"_ Sai said, causing Yuiko to raise her eyebrows.

" _She is not!"_ Naruto huffed. _"There was some weird dead guy that called her that, is all."_

" _Uh huh,"_ Yuiko said, trying to keep the emotion out of her inner voice.

" _Oh come on, I'm not crazy!"_ Naruto said defensively. _"Everyone saw it, and it called her the 'Byakugan Princess' for some reason. Shikamaru thinks it might have somethin' to do with Toneri and some weapon that uses the Moon."_

" _A weapon that uses the Moon?"_ Yuiko said, her pencil flying over the paper. _"So Kakashi was right_."

" _Yeah, he always is,"_ Naruto said with a laugh. _"Anyway, I think that's all the important stuff going on here. You can go now, Sai."_

" _It was good talking to you, Demon Girl,"_ Sai said, causing Yuiko to chuckle. There was a moment of silence, and Yuiko assumed that Naruto was about to cut the communication when he suddenly spoke.

" _Hey, Yuiko?"_

" _Yes?"_ Yuiko said as she gathered her notebook.

" _Can I ask you somethin' that's not really mission related?"_

" _Of course,"_ she replied.

" _Err … I mean, I'm not really good at this kind of thing, and it would be nice to ask a girl,"_ Naruto said, his voice growing flustered. _"I mean, there's Sakura, but she'll give me a hard time if I don't say things right."_

Yuiko waited, tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling.

" _I just want to tell Hinata that I … um …"_ Naruto paused. _"You know, never mind. I'll figure it out."_

" _You know where you can find me if you change your mind,"_ Yuiko said, a smile touching her lips. _"And a good rule of thumb is to just say what's in your heart."_

" _Ugh, you sound like one of Pervy-Sage's dumb books,"_ Naruto groaned.

Yuiko smiled, feeling Naruto's chakra pull away as their connection dissipated. She brought her attention to the door of her room and took a few steps before stopping in her tracks.

 _Did Naruto forget something?_ She thought, feeling the nudge of the chakra connection return.

" _Yo yo yo, it's Yuikooooooooo!"_

Yuiko sighed, dipping her head. _"Hi, B."_

It wasn't that Yuiko didn't like talking to B. It was just … tiring.

" _Eight-O and Killer B comin' at ya from Kumo, bout' to drop a bomb from the ultimate duo! Yeah!"_

" _B,"_ Yuiko said, running her hand through her hair, _"The Raikage has been communicating regularly with Kakashi, so you probably don't need to run information through me. I don't want to muddle communication, so if this is important, please have the Raikage —"_

" _No can do!"_ B shouted enthusiastically. _"This information is strictly taboo!"_

Yuiko furrowed her brow. _"B, what are you talking about?"_


	95. Chapter 95

"Huh," Kakashi said, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his seat, "that certainly is something."

Kakashi and Yuiko sat facing each other at a small table in one of the meeting rooms. A constant hum of chatter could be heard from the conference room down the hall; the giant, oval room was filled to near capacity between the astronomers and the shinobi running in and out to receive assignments.

Most of the jōnin were sent to aid citizens journeying from the more distant villages, while the chūnin and genin busied themselves with organizing room assignments and keeping order among those waiting to enter the shelter. Most of the issues that arose concerning the shelter were handled by Tsunade, who had beat Kakashi there by a day since he was officially the last citizen to leave the village. Kakashi had been more than happy to let her handle it while he dealt with the astronomers and communications between the other Kage. Despite the hectic scene going on only a few meters away, this was the first time he felt like he could breathe.

"So just to make sure I have this straight," Kakashi said slowly, "Kumo has a chakra cannon that can blow up the Moon."

"Well," Yuiko said, looking down at her notes. "It sounds like the cannon has two functions: One can blow stuff up, and the other can transport matter to another dimension. It sounds like the Raikage is planning to use this second function on the Moon."

Kakashi drummed his fingers on his arm, lost in thought. After a minute he tilted his head slightly to the side. "If this is a secret weapon of some sort, why did B tell you? Perhaps you two are closer than I realized …"

Yuiko scowled at him. Kakashi tried to school his features, but the crinkles at the edge of his eyes betrayed his amusement.

"I think it was Gyūki who wanted him to mention it, actually," Yuiko said.

"The Eight-Tails?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes," Yuiko said with a nod. "I mean, making the Moon disappear is … a little crazy."

"More than a little," Kakashi said, sighing. "I'm going to share this with the astronomers and have them put together a report about the lasting effects of making the Moon disappear. I have a feeling that it wouldn't be good, and we'd only want to use it as a very last resort."

Yuiko nodded in concurrence, looking him over. She'd been studying his features intently almost every time their paths crossed over the past few days. It was normally from the other side of the conference room while Kakashi made announcements or read out assignments, and he had some trouble deciphering what her motives were until he entered one of the meeting rooms the day before to find that it had been furnished with pillows and a stack of blankets. Yuiko had found out where he was taking his quick breaks and did what she could to make it more comfortable. Being doted on was an odd sensation that he was still taking time getting used to, but he found the gesture endearing all the same.

"Have you been eating?" Yuiko asked, taking Kakashi out of his thoughts.

"Don't worry," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile. "Tenzō has been on babysitting duty since we got here; he's making sure I get my snacks and afternoon nap."

Yuiko smiled and stood from her chair. "Don't push yourself too hard, alright? I'm going to go see if there's something I can do, but I'll be nearby."

"What?" Kakashi said, looking offended. "You don't want to hang around with me?"

"By 'hang around,'" Yuiko said, smirking, "do you mean 'hand me a stack of reports to summarize so you don't have to?'"

Kakashi casually rose from his seat. "Your penmanship is easy to read," he replied.

"You'll have to do better than that low-level form of flattery to earn my assistance," Yuiko said with a shake of her head.

"And I thought marriage was for better and worse," Kakashi said with a sigh, feigning disappointment.

"As I recall," Yuiko said as she opened the door, "our vows were just, 'Do you want to marry this person? Yes? Great!' Anything on top of that doesn't really count."

Kakashi chuckled, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he exited the room. "I'm a lucky man."

.

* * *

.

" _Oi."_

Yuiko groaned, rolling over in her sleep.

" _Oi, you, wake up!"_

Yuiko opened her eyes and blinked groggily at the blank wall.

" _Huh?"_

" _Finally,"_ the deep voice rumbled. Yuiko sat up, rubbing her eyes.

" _Kurama?"_ she asked.

" _I don't have much time,"_ Kurama said, an urgent tone in its voice. _"The kid was knocked out cold and he needs my chakra. But this is important, so listen closely."_

" _Uh, sure,"_ Yuiko replied.

" _We're on the Moon,"_ the beast said. Yuiko blinked.

" _The … Moon?"_ she asked hesitantly.

" _Did I stutter?"_ Kurama snarled. _"I don't have time for this. The one with the ponytail asked me to relay the message. I don't even know why I'm taking orders from him."_

" _Kurama,"_ Yuiko said, somewhat panicked, _"what happened to Naruto? And you're sure you're on the Moon?!"_

There was no reply. Yuiko tried to open up a communication with Naruto, but couldn't connect to his chakra. She leapt out of bed and quickly threw on her clothes.

—

"Thank you all for meeting on such short notice," Kakashi said, adjusting the Hokage hat on his head. Four monitors, along with recording equipment, had been set up on the far end of the large conference room. Kakashi had kicked everyone out except for Yuiko, Yamato, and Hoshi, Konoha's head astronomer.

"It's been two days since we last received an update on Naruto's mission to rescue Hanabi and stop the man known as Toneri," Kakashi said flatly. "We received a communication early this morning with some disturbing news: It appears that Naruto's group is on the Moon."

His statement was met with silence. The other Kage looked at him in confusion. "On … the Moon?" the Mizukage asked hesitantly, her lips tightening.

"Yes," Kakashi replied. "It seems that there's a cave to the southeast of Konoha that is somehow capable of transporting people to the Moon."

"But … that's in _space,_ " the Mizukage said, her face awash with disbelief. "How would they _breathe?"_

"Well, my hunch is that they're more _inside_ the Moon than on it," Kakashi said. "The last report we received made it sound like they were exploring a number of cities that were previously unknown to us. It seems that a group of people were somehow able to create a biosphere beneath the Moon's crust and at one point host a civilization. Either way, it sounds like this is where Toneri is holed up."

The Kage were silent again, unsure of how to follow up the wild revelation. The Tsuchikage finally cleared his throat. "So, will you be sending more of your shinobi after them?" he asked.

"I've sent messages to a few of our jōnin asking them to head toward the cave," Kakashi replied. "It was reported that the landscape within the Moon consists of a series of islands, so it might take a while for them to locate Naruto's team. However, I'm not going to give them the final order to head in until I have something clarified." Kakashi's eyes shifted to the Raikage's monitor. "I have been informed that Kumo possesses a chakra cannon capable of making the Moon disappear."

The Mizukage and Tsuchikage let out startled noises. Gaara didn't speak, but his eyes narrowed slightly.

"How do you know about that?" The Raikage snarled, his nostrils flaring.

"Is it true?" Kakashi asked frankly.

The Raikage bared his teeth before looking away. "Yes, we have a chakra cannon." He looked back at the camera, growing irritated as the other Kage studied him. "I was going to mention it once it was fully charged. At that time, I'll send the Moon into another dimension, and Earth will be saved."

Kakashi turned around in his seat and tilted his head toward the monitors. Hoshi approached the camera to stand behind Kakashi. The blonde woman adjusted her glasses, looking down at a paper she held in her hand. "My group has done some research concerning this theory," she stated. "Making the Moon disappear would cause major damage to the Earth's ecosystem, especially the oceans. It is also possible that the gravitational effects could cause plates to shift below the Earth's surface, resulting in earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. Lastly, the tilt of Earth's axis might change, resulting in seasons lasting for months longer than what we're accustomed to." Hoshi lowered the paper, focusing her eyes on the monitors.

The Mizukage and Tsuchikage looked about with nervous expressions; even Gaara appeared perturbed.

"What sort of game is this, Kakashi?" the Raikage yelled, slamming his fist on the table before him. "What I'm offering is a way to save our planet, and you come back with accusations that I'm trying to destroy it?!"

"That's not at all what I'm saying," Kakashi said passively. "I just wanted you to be aware —"

"This is all because Naruto is up there!" The Raikage shouted, drowning out Kakashi. "You're putting the lives of a handful of your own shinobi over the millions of people on Earth! What kind of leader are you?!"

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "The Hokage's duty is to look out for all of his citizens, and right now I have six of them on the Moon. All I'm doing is trying to make sure we don't act rashly and figure out a way to save everyone, them included."

"So instead of the sure-fire thing," The Raikage said darkly, "you want us to sit on our asses and hope Naruto pulls through?"

Kakashi began to reply, but his voice was smothered by the shouts coming from the other Kage.

"Naruto is a hero, and probably the strongest Shinobi this world has seen!" The Tsuchikage shouted. Kakashi blinked, surprised by the old man's rousing support.

"I agree," Gaara said firmly. "I believe we should put our faith in Naruto before handing him a death sentence."

"Idiots, all of you!" the Raikage shouted, his chair clattering to the floor as he swiftly got to his feet. "I will not deny that Naruto is a hero, but if he dies up there, he will be a hero once again for at least trying to save this world!"

Kakashi stood, placing both hands on the table. "Let's all calm down! We need to work together here and find a better solution."

"Your solution is to put everyone's lives in unnecessary danger!" The Raikage yelled, leaning over the table. "If that is your resolve, then so be it. But that will not be the resolution of Kumogakure. I will begin charging the cannon, and will fire it when ready. If the Land of Lighting must stand alone to save this planet, then we will."

The Raikage walked off-screen, and his monitor grew dark. Silence hung heavy in the room, Kakashi staring at the blank screen in shock.


	96. Chapter 96

" _Naruto? Naruto, please answer me."_

Yuiko was pacing back and forth in her room, chewing on her thumbnail. She had to get a hold of Naruto. She _had_ to. She had spent most of the previous day trying to contact him, though she'd had as much luck as her husband had at trying to get a hold of the Raikage.

The Raikage seemed to have figured out that it was B who leaked the information about the cannon, and cut the man off from all new developments to their plans. B still told Yuiko what he could, but Kakashi had to take it all with a grain of salt since the Raikage would likely try to alter his plans regarding where the cannon was located and how long it would take to charge. B was, unfortunately, not sure of all the details to begin with, so they only had an approximation of where the cannon was and how many days they had left. It seemed that the cannon could be charged anywhere within the last three days before the Moon was expected to fully break apart. Naruto and his team had to be warned, and at least given a chance to come back to Earth before that happened.

Yuiko exhaled deeply, strengthening her resolve. She lay down on her bed and stared at the ceiling for a moment before closing her eyes. The way Kurama had described it, Naruto may have been suffering from chakra deprivation. This meant a lot more work for her.

As far as Yuiko could tell, their telepathic connection worked by one member expending a fair amount of chakra to reach out to the other. Once the other person acknowledged the call, the original caller would be able to pull back some of their chakra as the other one picked up the slack. The connection was held up by both ends putting in an equal amount of chakra, draining less of their reserves. So if Yuiko wanted to reach Naruto without taking any of his chakra, she would need to uphold the connection all on her own. She wasn't sure how long she could keep it up, but she had to try.

Yuiko reached out, poking and prodding until she located the familiar, sunny feeling of Naruto's chakra. It was burning much lower than normal, and it didn't respond when she gave it a 'nudge.' Yuiko pushed harder against it, pouring more and more of her chakra in to form the connection. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, and her eyes, though closed, were filled with a blinding, bright light.

Yuiko blinked, suddenly finding herself standing in the back of a crowded classroom at the Konoha academy.

"Eh?" she muttered, looking about in confusion.

"If the world were to end tomorrow," Iruka said, smiling at his students as he paced at the front of the room, "who would you most like to spend your last day with?"

Yuiko looked at him, dumbfounded.

 _What kind of stupid question is that? What is he teaching these kids?_

"Aw, come on, as if that's ever gonna happen," one of the kids said. Yuiko turned her head to her left and spotted a small, blonde boy with goggles sitting in the middle row.

"It's a hypothetical question, Naruto," Iruka said with a sigh. Yuiko's eyes widened, staring at the young boy. She had never even seen pictures of Naruto at this age; he must have been around 7 or 8 years old. She couldn't help but smile at how adorable he looked with his choppy blonde hair and green goggles sitting atop his head.

"Just pretend that the Moon is about to fall on us or something," Iruka continued.

 _If this is actually one of Naruto's memories,_ Yuiko thought, _then Iruka is an honest-to-Kami prophet._

The students started to chatter among themselves as Iruka handed out blank slips of paper. Yuiko cautiously walked across the back of the room until she reached the middle row. She made her way down the steps and stopped next to Naruto. He was grumbling to himself, staring down at the sheet of paper before him as he rolled his pencil around with his finger.

"Did he really not have anyone to put down?" Yuiko mumbled, looking over his shoulder.

Naruto's blue eyes snapped up to meet hers. Yuiko nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Oh, hey!" Naruto said, beaming at her. He turned his head back to his paper and picked up his pencil. He tried writing a few lines, but the paper remained blank. "Hey, what gives?!" Naruto exclaimed, trying over and over to write. "I actually have somethin' to write and it won't let me!"

 _Isn't this a memory?_ Yuiko pondered as Naruto grew increasingly irritated. _Nobody's responding to me being here other than him. Iruka is a nice man, but not nice enough to tolerate someone disrupting his lesson. What is this place?_

"Yu-ee-ko," Naruto sounded out while trying to write her name with dramatic flourishes of his pencil.

Yuiko gazed down at him, tears forming in her eyes as she recalled his motivation for writing her name. "You'd … you'd pick me?"

"Well, yeah," Naruto said, looking up at her. "You're the only friend I've got."

Yuiko's touched expression changed to one of confusion. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "Half the kids in this room are your friends. At least I think they are — they all look a bit different at this age." The ones sitting right next to Naruto were certainly Sakura and Sasuke, and Ino's long, light blonde hair was a dead giveaway from across the room.

"No way! All they ever do is make fun of me!"

Naruto stood and grasped Yuiko's hand. "Hey, let's go get ramen or somethin'! This place is boring."

Yuiko frowned and looked about the room. No one else seemed to notice they were there, and the kids around them continued to chat among themselves as Iruka walked about the classroom.

Naruto didn't wait for any affirmation from Yuiko before he started pulling her toward the door. They exited the classroom, passing other students and a few teachers as they made their way to the double doors at the front. They stepped out into the sunshine, and Naruto excitedly tugged her along as they left the schoolyard. Yuiko looked about in awe, wondering how Naruto was able to perfectly recreate Konoha in his head and yet somehow struggle with cooking anything more complex than instant ramen.

Naruto continued to tow her along as they left the school behind, turning a corner so that the river was now to their left and houses to their right. Townsfolk milled about like any other day; all of them seemed completely unaware of their presence.

"Naruto, where are we going?" Yuiko asked.

"Jeez, don't you listen?" Naruto whined. "We're gonna get ramen and have fun!"

"Naruto," Yuiko said, coming to a stop. Naruto kept trying to pull on her hand, leaning diagonally over the dirt road as his face twisted from the strain.

"Naruto, I have to tell you something important," Yuiko said sternly. "You and your team are in danger. Are you listening?"

"What are you talking about?" Naruto yelled as his small feet slid over the dirt. "Everything is fine! Don't make me go back!"

"Go back?" Yuiko said.

"Yeah, to the academy!" Naruto said, stopping his exertion to glare up at her. "That's where Shikamaru and Sakura and Hin—"

Naruto's eyes welled with tears. Yuiko looked down at him in surprise. The only other time she could recall seeing him cry — aside from when he was a baby — was when he had said goodbye to his father. Yuiko slowly knelt down, putting herself face-to-face with him. "Naruto, did something happen to your teammates?"

Naruto didn't answer. Tears streamed down his cheeks. A trail of snot started to sneak out his left nostril, which he wiped away with the back of his arm.

"Naruto," Yuiko said gently, guilt rising in her gut. "I need you to tell me what happened to your teammates. You need to tell me right now; I don't know how much time I have here."

Yuiko felt terrible for being so blunt, but she wasn't sure what else to do. She didn't have a lot of experience with kids, and it was hard to tell how to approach the situation since she knew Naruto was mentally much older than his appearance — or at least she thought so. He seemed to know who she was, but he wasn't acting with the same level of maturity she was used to.

"I'm tired," Naruto mumbled, wiping at his eyes. Yuiko's heart sank. He was just so _small._

"Come here," Yuiko said, her arms open. Naruto shuffled over to her, and Yuiko pulled him in to a hug. She held him tightly as he sniffled in to her flak jacket.

"Do you want to lie down?" she asked.

Naruto's hair tickled her cheek as he nodded. Yuiko put one hand behind Naruto's head and the other beneath his bottom, making a seat. She lifted him up and leaned him against her shoulder as she walked down the shallow slope toward the river. As she reached the water's edge, Yuiko knelt in the grass and gently placed Naruto down. She sat next to him and immediately busied her hands with tugging out blades of grass. "You're not acting like yourself," she said.

"How can I be anyone but myself?" Naruto asked groggily, his bleary eyes focused on the sky.

"Dunno," Yuiko said, looking at him from the corner of her eye. "But the Naruto _I_ know would have died before letting me carry him like that."

Naruto scowled at her, puffing out his cheeks. His expression only caused Yuiko to break out in laughter. Naruto huffed and turned his head away. Yuiko's laughter faded, the resulting silence interrupted only by the sloshing sound of the water.

"I said I loved her," Naruto mumbled. He turned his head slowly to glare at Yuiko out of the corner of his eye. Yuiko was watching him, her expression blank.

"I told Hinata that I loved her," Naruto said, tears forming in his eyes again. "And she … she just said goodbye."

Naruto quickly turned his face away, wiping it with his arm. Yuiko didn't say anything for a moment as she continued to pull out blades of grass. "Where did Hinata go?" she finally asked.

"With that Toneri guy," Naruto said, his face scrunched up in anger. "He said they were going to … that they were gonna be …" Naruto sat up, putting his face in his hands. "He said they were gonna get married."

Yuiko let out a barking laugh. Naruto's face shot up from his hands. "THIS ISN'T FUNNY!"

"Sorry," Yuiko said, her smile vanishing. Naruto shot her a look of betrayal before putting his face back in his hands.

"Do you really think Hinata wants to marry Toneri?" Yuiko asked, trying to drain the emotion from her voice.

"I dunno," Naruto said glumly, dropping his hands. "I thought Hinata loved me, but when I said I loved her, she just left. So I've got no clue what Hinata wants, I guess."

Yuiko let out a long sigh, and Naruto turned to look up at her.

"Do you want to know what Kakashi said to me the first time I told him that I loved him?" she asked, a weak smile growing on her face.

"Probably something dumb and mushy," Naruto said shortly.

"He said he didn't love me," Yuiko said softly, "and that he was sorry if he gave me that impression."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "No way!" he shouted. "Kakashi-Sensei really told you that?!"

Yuiko nodded.

"But," Naruto's brows scrunched up in thought. "But you guys got married, like, right after the war. Did he change his mind or somethin'?"

"No, actually," Yuiko said, her expression growing pensive. "It was just that he was lying when he told me that."

"Huh?" Naruto said, tilting his head. "Why would be lie about somethin' important like that?"

Yuiko pulled out another blade of grass, rolling it between her fingers. "He was trying to protect me, in his own way. I think you already know that he lost a lot of people he loved before you and your teammates came along. He was afraid of admitting how he felt for me, as if his confession would mark me for death."

"But that's dumb," Naruto said. "When did this happen?"

"Right before we left for the island," Yuiko said, dropping the blade of grass.

"Oh!" Naruto exclaimed. "That explains why you were so crabby the whole boat ride."

Yuiko gave him a shove, knocking him on his side. She winced as she realized she had used a little too much force, but Naruto only laughed, pushing himself back into a sitting position.

"So he lied to you, thinkin' it would make it so you wouldn't die," he said, a smile growing on his face. "But then you went and died anyway. That was smart of him."

"Hey," Yuiko said, pointing at him, "don't have that sort of expression on your face when you're talking about me being dead."

Naruto threw back his head in laughter. In the blink of an eye, he was older — about 13. Yuiko blinked in confusion as Naruto's laughter faded.

"So do you think," Naruto said, looking over at her, "that Hinata lied too? Do you think she doesn't want to marry that Toneri guy, and was just tryin' to protect me?"

"Well," Yuiko said, trying to be careful with her words, "I can't say I know Hinata very well, but it seems doubtful that she'd want to marry the person trying to destroy the world."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully, and when Yuiko blinked again he was older, now about 17. "I really do love her, ya know?" Naruto said, looking at her bashfully. "Or, at least I think I do."

Yuiko smiled, tilting her head. "Hinata is a good girl. She even talks to me now! She's pretty brave, facing her fear of my Dōjutsu Seal."

Naruto's smile wavered as he finally realized that it was never the Dōjutsu Seal that Hinata'd had an issue with.

"I'm going to get her back," he said determinedly. "Hinata is … she's the person who I would want to spend my last day with."

"Oh," Yuiko said, feigning offense. "I see how it is. Look at how quickly I've been replaced."

Naruto's image flickered momentarily before his appearance changed to his usual self. Yuiko smiled up at him, Naruto grinning at her in return. "I think I need to rest a little more to get my chakra back," he said, "but I'm going after Hinata first thing when I wake up."

Yuiko's smile widened, and she reached up to ruffle Naruto's hair. He sighed in resignation, glaring at her until she sheepishly pulled back her hand. "Well, I better get going," she said.

"Wait a minute," Naruto said. "Didn't you say earlier you had somethin' important to tell me?"

Yuiko looked at him thoughtfully. She fidgeted with her hands for a moment before finally shaking her head.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "Just put all your focus on getting Hinata and her sister back."

Naruto nodded firmly. "You can count on me!"

Yuiko smiled, pulling back her chakra. A rushing sound filled her ears, and she was plunged into darkness.

Yuiko's eyes snapped open. She breathed heavily as she stared at the concrete ceiling of the darkened room. She tried to sit up, but immediately flopped back down onto her back. The communication had burned up a lot more chakra than she had expected.

Yuiko closed her eyes, resigning herself to sleep and recover her chakra. She was going to need it; it was a long way to the Land of Lightning.


	97. Chapter 97

Yuiko stepped into the vacant bathroom, making a quick sweep of the rows of stalls and sinks. She entered one of the stalls and closed the door.

Clutching her knapsack to her chest, Yuiko leaned against the wall behind the toilet and phased out of view. She moved through the thick layer of concrete, pipes, then earth, before reaching concrete again. There was a cabinet on the other side of the wall, and she finally stepped into the kitchen area of the canteen.

Yuiko confirmed her suspicion that it would be empty, looking out over the rows of tables and chairs. If Kakashi had expected their stay in the shelter to be longer than a few days, he probably would have assigned guards to watch over the food supply. But as it was, there was more food in storage than the Land of Fire's population could get through without absolutely gorging themselves for weeks. That thought helped make Yuiko feel a little less guilty as she crossed the kitchen and stepped into the dry pantry.

The pantry was filled with rows of large wooden crates stacked on shelves reaching up several stories. She walked past the crates marked for canned goods, eventually coming to a stop when she found an open crate marked "ration bars." She opened up her pack and roughly shoved a few handfuls of them inside. And though Yuiko wasn't normally a picky eater, she felt compelled to grab a few cans of beef, peaches, peanut butter, and bamboo shoots on her way out. It was an odd combination, but it seemed much more appealing to her than having nothing but the dry bars for a few days.

Yuiko swung her pack over her shoulders and made her way out of the pantry. She knew that if she phased through the southern wall on the opposite end of the canteen, she would find herself at the wide ramp designated for wagons and livestock. The only guards there were at the entrance; it would be simple enough to slip past them once she reached the top.

Yuiko stepped out into the kitchen, but froze when she spotted a figure sitting at one of the tables.

"It looks like we have a mouse problem," the figure said, their features becoming more visible as they flicked on a small lantern. Kakashi put his elbow on the table, leaning his head into his hand as he looked at her with a bored expression.

Yuiko tightened her grip around the straps at her shoulders, pursing her lips.

"You're going to stop the cannon," Kakashi stated, using a similar inflection as if he was confirming that Yuiko would be picking up milk from the store.

"How did you know I would be here?" Yuiko asked.

Kakashi held his indifferent gaze. "There are two things I learned during the last war that pertain to this situation," he replied. "First: You have a tendency to get into trouble. Second: I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you. In conclusion, I'm mitigating potential issues by keeping an eye on you."

Yuiko exited the kitchen toward Kakashi. "You can't talk me out of it," she said.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed slightly, but he still seemed generally unperturbed. "Konoha shinobi crossing in to the Land of Lightning against the Raikage's wishes could be perceived as breaking the treaty," he said. "It might start a war, if the world doesn't end."

"I'll say I was acting of my own volition," Yuiko said. "You can label me as a rogue nin."

Kakashi let out a small sigh. "It doesn't work that way anymore. You're my wife; we're like two sides of the same coin. No one will believe that you acted without my involvement."

"Well, maybe they would have if you weren't here right now," Yuiko snapped, prickling in irritation. Kakashi watched her steadily. It was unusual for her to be so on edge, but everyone was starting to grow a little antsy what with the world ending and all.

"So, you're willing to risk the lives of everyone on this planet to save theirs?" Kakashi asked.

Yuiko scowled at him. "I'm not an idiot," she said. "I don't want to destroy it. But I will do everything I can to make sure that cannon doesn't fire until it absolutely has to. I think … I think that's what Naruto and the others would want us to do, if it came down to it."

Kakashi lowered his hand and sat up a little straighter. "Even if it starts a war?" he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

"If it starts a war," Yuiko said determinedly, "then at least that means the world didn't end, and maybe Naruto and the others will have a chance to come back home."

Kakashi tilted his head, his eyes turning up in a smile.

"You pass!"

"Huh?" Yuiko said, her shoulders slumping as the tension released.

"I have a hunch that Naruto and his team are going to get through this," Kakashi said pleasantly. "So in the meantime, we're going to make sure they're not shot into another dimension."

"We?" Yuiko asked.

"The Raikage has been ignoring all my usual methods of communication," Kakashi said, holding up a finger. "So I'd like to make one final request to him in person."

"You can't just _leave_ ," Yuiko said, aghast. "You're the one in charge here! There would be chaos!"

"To be fair," Kakashi said, keeping his idle expression, "there isn't much left for me to do. Tsunade has been handling most of the issues that's come up concerning the shelter and citizens, and the Tailed Beasts are managing any nearby threats from debris. We're in a pretty decent spot, all things considered."

"That's still no excuse!" Yuiko hissed, fighting to keep her voice down. "I can't believe you were giving me such a hard time for trying to take off when you're trying to do the exact same thing! But you leaving is so much worse!"

"Now, now," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile. "Don't fret; I'm well aware of the problems it would cause if I were to leave. That's why I'd have a replacement."

"Like a clone?" Yuiko said. "There's no way you could keep it active all the way from the Land of Lightning."

"Oh no, not a clone," Kakashi said agreeably. "Tenzō happens to be very good at imitating people. He knows me well enough that he should be able to put on a good enough impression."

Yuiko shook her head, looking at him in disbelief. "You can't ask him to do that! If anyone finds out —"

"Well, that'll be up to him," Kakashi said. "As long as he doesn't slip up, he'll be just fine."

 _How heartless,_ Yuiko thought.

"I wouldn't worry," Kakashi said, noting her expression. "If there's anyone who could pull it off, it's him. Anyway, I need to make some preparations, but I should be ready to go by this evening."

Yuiko frowned at him. "It's 4 AM now," she said, "if we wait until this evening, we won't be anywhere near Kumo by the twelfth day. Unless …" Yuiko's eyes widened. "Did Sasuke get your message? Has he come back?"

"No, unfortunately," Kakashi said with a shrug. "It would be ideal, obviously, to be able to travel to the Land of Lightning in an instant, but it doesn't seem that my wandering student has received my communication. I also don't want to risk losing time waiting for him to arrive."

Kakashi rose to his feet. "However, I know a shortcut that should get us there sooner than conventional means. Working that out is going to be part of the preparations."

Yuiko watched him apprehensively as he leapt over the table, landing at her side. "And I should just wait, is that it?" she asked.

"On the contrary," Kakashi said, picking up the lantern. "You're going to be given a mission today to escort some civilians from one of the further villages back to the shelter. No one will be expecting you back for a couple of days."

"Sounds a little suspicious," Yuiko said, crossing her arms.

"Does it?" Kakashi said, tilting his head. "You're able to phase yourself and others through objects, and last I checked, falling Moon rocks are also objects. It seems like you'd be a very good candidate to bring those people here safely."

Yuiko's face softened. She looked up at Kakashi with new admiration.

"It stings a little to see you so surprised," Kakashi quipped. "There is a reason they made me Hokage, you know."

"I can see that," Yuiko said, smiling. "It's too bad you're doing everything in your power to wiggle out of that responsibility."

"Ah, well, no one's perfect," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile.


	98. Chapter 98

_Well, this is unexpected,_ Yuiko thought, exiting the shelter.

It was a clear, sunny fall day, which would have been quite pleasant if she hadn't known the world may be ending in less than a week. She stepped out onto the dirt path at the mouth of the shelter, walking past the small groups of travelers seeking refuge. Most citizens of the Land of Fire had made it to the shelter by now; only a small percentage of stragglers from the further villages were left. They had even taken in some civilians from the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost, who were guided to the shelter via hidden tunnels to the east. Lady Tsunade welcomed them openly, even if it meant things might get cramped. Everyone's stay in the shelter was only going to be brief anyway, no matter how things ended up.

Yuiko stepped off the trail into the grass, approaching her partner for her mission. Kakashi's assignment of another person to this mission was completely unexpected, and she honestly had no idea how she was supposed to proceed. It hadn't helped that she couldn't locate Kakashi after reading the mission report, either.

Genma Shiranui turned about, the metal senbon he held between his teeth flashing in the sun.

"Ah, Sensei! Ready to head out?" he called, smiling broadly.

"Please don't call me that; it's weird," Yuiko said, stopping before him.

"You know I only keep doing it because it bothers you," Genma said, putting his hands in his pockets. Yuiko walked past him with a sigh, and Genma trailed behind her.

The two of them had been acquaintances since they were kids, but Yuiko had never had an actual conversation with Genma until he was assigned to Kakashi's personal guard. Genma had asked her permission to place a seal on her body so he and the other members of the guard could perform the Flying Thunder Formation jutsu if there was ever an emergency. The technique was a cooperative jutsu that would allow their group to teleport her to a designated location if she was ever in danger.

To Genma's confusion, Yuiko flatly refused. She explained that she already had the seal from Minato, so it would be a waste for them to put on another one. It turned out, however, that the seals had a few key differences. The conversation sidetracked into breaking down the seal, and as they chatted Genma realized that Yuiko knew how the base technique — Flying Thunder God jutsu — actually worked. Minato had never trained her in it, but she had discussed the theory with him before and had a general idea of how recreate the seal.

And so, to Yuiko's bewilderment, Genma had declared her his sensei and shamelessly begged her to help him perfect the technique. Yuiko felt that she was vastly unqualified to do so, since she only really knew about the fūinjutsu aspect. But since that was what Genma felt was preventing him from being able to perform it, Yuiko reluctantly agreed to help him reconstruct Minato's seal.

It took the two of them meeting for a couple of hours every week for about 7 months, but Genma had eventually gained enough basic fūinjutsu skill to properly perform the Flying Thunder God jutsu on his own. His teleportation range was nowhere near as far as Minato's, but he could easily span the distance of Konoha, and possibly further with practice. In close range, Genma had added the teleportation seal to his collection of senbon, and could now overwhelm almost any opponent with his newfound speed.

Yuiko had actually gotten a little choked up when he performed the technique for the first time. She wondered if the pride welling up in her chest was a similar feeling to what jōnin sensei had when they trained a team of genin. The mood was spoiled a little when Genma cracked a joke about sneaking in to the women's side of the hot springs while no one was there and placing a seal for future use. Yuiko struggled to hold on to her feeling of pride, but she did feel a little better after stabbing Genma in the arm with one of his own senbon.

"So we'll be meeting up with Captain Yamato at the rendezvous point, right?" Genma asked, still trailing behind Yuiko.

"Correct," Yuiko said.

"Sounds good. I'll follow your lead, Sensei!" he crowed.

"I'm going to ditch you if you keep calling me that," Yuiko said, suddenly sprinting forward. She leapt up into the branches of the surrounding forest, and Genma quickly appeared at her side.

"Too bad I can just teleport to wherever you are now," he said casually.

"Too bad I can just modify the seal," Yuiko replied flatly. "I could probably figure out how to get it to do something amusing, like turn you inside-out."

Genma shot her a suspicious look, trying to tell if she was bluffing. In truth, Yuiko _could_ modify the seal (perhaps not as creatively as she claimed), but she would never actually do so — the seal was a creation of Minato's, and she regarded it in the same fashion that others would regard a family heirloom. But Genma didn't need to know that.

—

Yuiko and Genma leapt down from the trees into a wide forest clearing. A stack of large stones was piled at its center — the remnants of a house that once stood in its place. Upon one of the stones sat Yamato, his elbow propped up on one knee while his opposite hand held a book with a pink cover up to his face.

"I hope Yamato's impression of you is better than yours of him," Genma chuckled.

"Tenzō reads these, too," 'Yamato' said lazily, lifting his eyes. "He's just too embarrassed to admit it."

"I think it's called having dignity," Genma said, crossing his arms. 'Yamato' stood, carefully sliding the book into a side pouch before bringing his hands to his lower back. He leaned backward, and a popping sound cut through the air as he stretched.

"I've been behind a desk for way too long," 'Yamato' sighed, his eyelids drooping.

"Should I have packed a walker?" Genma said with a smirk, causing 'Yamato' to shoot him an insulted look.

"Why is Genma here?" Yuiko asked frankly, watching 'Yamato.' 'Yamato' immediately straightened, putting on a serious expression.

"Hey, that hurts, you know," Genma said, shooting Yuiko a stern look.

"This could be considered treason," Yuiko said, meeting Genma's gaze. "You shouldn't be here."

Genma smiled as if he found her comment funny. "It's actually your fault that I'm here," he replied, Yuiko furrowing her brow at the statement.

"I have a knack for being able to tell if people I know have been replaced by someone using a transformation," he continued. "It's a skill I started working on after I got burned one day by a certain prank where a friend of mine tricked me into thinking that they were the fourth Hokage."

Yuiko's eyes widened, and her mouth stretched into a thin line. Genma had actually been able to detect something off about Anko's impression all those years ago, but it wasn't until Yuiko butted in to convince him that he doubted his judgment. She'd had no idea that he'd even remembered the prank, much less that it had made an impact on his career as a shinobi.

"Now I wouldn't be worth my salt as the Hokage's bodyguard if I couldn't tell him apart from an impostor, would I?" Genma said, grinning down at her.

"Tenzō is good," 'Yamato' said, raising his hand in the 'earth' seal. He was enveloped in a plume of smoke, and Kakashi now stood in his place. "But Genma would have figured it out before too long. Lucky for us, everyone else who might be suspicious is either away on a mission or too busy to notice."

Kakashi gracefully stepped down from the rubble, walking toward them. His clothes matched those of his companions, the three of them all wearing the standard Konoha blue shirt and pants with the updated-style flak jackets. The jackets sported the same sage-green color as their predecessors, but had forgone the front pockets to help with mobility.

A roaring sound filled their ears, and the trio looked up into the sky as a large piece of space debris flew overhead. The meteor was met by a Beast Bomb, exploding in a wave of heat that could be felt miles below. The group lowered their heads, a somber mood falling over them.

"There's one more thing I need to mention before we get going," Kakashi said, locking eyes with Yuiko. "I needed to enlist another person's help in order for us to get to the Land of Lightning a day sooner than we would alone."

Kakashi lifted his arm, waving to motion someone over. A cloaked figure emerged from the shadows of the forest, yellow eyes peeking beneath the hood. Yuiko froze, a cold sensation running down her spine.


	99. Chapter 99

"I'm not working with him," Genma said flatly, his eyes locked on the newcomer.

Kabuto Yakushi smiled at them pleasantly, although his snake-like features made the expression look anything but natural.

"I am only here to be of assistance to Konoha," he said. "I owe many of its people a great debt."

Yuiko brought her attention back to Kakashi, fire burning behind her eyes. There were few topics the two of them fought over during their marriage, but the fate of Kabuto Yakushi happened to be one of them.

Yuiko believed adamantly that Kabuto should have been sentenced to spend the remainder of his life locked in the Blood Prison run by the Kusa shinobi. Kakashi, however, believed that despite all the trouble he caused, Kabuto ultimately ended up turning over a new leaf by saving Sasuke after he was mortally wounded by Black Zetsu.

After extensive evaluations, Kakashi opted for a forgiving approach and decided that it would be better to keep someone with Kabuto's abilities more directly under Konoha's supervision. Kabuto was still under heavy surveillance, but he essentially lived freely and was allowed a small role assisting in the administration of the Konoha orphanage. The animosity over this decision had faded somewhat, but Kabuto still wasn't regarded with much favor.

"He's a traitor, Lord Hokage," Genma said, watching Kabuto with contempt. "He was a spy who backstabbed every group he swore loyalty to. What use could he have to us?"

To his credit, Kabuto appeared slightly wounded by the remark. Kakashi exhaled, gazing at Genma with a tired expression.

"Kabuto has assured me that he is acting with Konoha's best interests at heart," he said. "And he's the person who can get us across the stretch of ocean between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Lightning most quickly. Kabuto is capable of summoning a large snake that can swim the distance in less than half the time it would take if we went by foot."

"Anko could do that," Genma huffed.

"You're right, she could," Kakashi said. "But that doesn't mean she _would_."

Genma had to admit that Kakashi was probably right. Anko's loyalty was to the people of Konoha, and what they were trying to do could put those people at risk. He felt a twinge of pity for Yamato, knowing that the poor bastard was probably going to be beaten within an inch of his life if his wife found out what they were up to.

"Alright," Genma said, changing tactics, "If that's the way you want to go, then why not just hire a ship?"

"From who?" Kakashi rebutted, shrugging weakly. "Everyone in their right mind is either headed to or already within the protection of a shelter or a Tailed Beast. It also takes a crew to run a ship, and the last thing I want is to have more of my citizens mixed up in this."

Genma frowned, the senbon between his teeth bobbing up and down as he gnawed at its tip. Kakashi looked back over to Yuiko, whose eyes were still locked on him as she pointedly tried to ignore Kabuto's presence. "Why would you think I'd be alright with this?" she hissed.

Kakashi sighed. "Yuiko, it's been nearly two years. Kabuto's rehabilitation is going well; he's been nothing but loyal to Konoha. You of all people should be open to giving someone like him a second chance, considering you were once in a similar position."

Yuiko's face hardened. Genma quietly sucked in some air between his teeth.

"I think it's about time the two of us take a stroll to the other end of the clearing," Genma said, glancing at Kabuto. Kabuto was smart enough to know that his input would only escalate the situation, so he shot Yuiko an apologetic look before turning to follow Genma. Yuiko didn't say a word, waiting until Genma and Kabuto made it to the other end of the clearing before she spoke.

"We've talked about this," Yuiko said, lowering her voice. "I didn't actually _do_ any of the things Konoha accused me of. He did — he killed our shinobi, he kidnapped and tortured my best friend, and then he tried to get me to kill you." Hot tears burned in the corners of her eyes; Yuiko bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself under control. "And even before that, he blackmailed me to commit treason against Konoha. Maybe it's different for you, since you didn't deal with him as much, but I don't believe that trash deserves a second chance."

Kakashi surprised Yuiko by breaking their gaze, looking off into the distance in thought. This was unusual, since he was normally quick to make counterarguments during almost any dispute, with her or anyone else. She had expected him to repeat the explanation he gave her last time, which involved thinking about what was the best course of action for Konoha as a whole, and the values he wanted to instill in it going forward. The fact that he was considering another point of view threw her a little off-kilter, and she wondered if that may have been his intention.

Kakashi finally looked back over to Yuiko. "He reminds me of Obito," he said frankly, offering nothing further.

Yuiko shook her head, her anger threatening to melt away from the forlorn expression on Kakashi's face.

"He is nothing like Obito," Yuiko said bitterly. "Obito brought hundreds of people back to life and even reached out from the afterlife to save me. Kabuto may have saved Sasuke's life, but it doesn't nearly atone for everything else he's done."

"But he still saved a life," Kakashi said softly. "Maybe he hasn't made up for everything yet, but who am I to take away his chance at redemption? Obito also did horrible things, but he later decided to change for the better. Kabuto may very well be the same way."

Yuiko broke their gaze to look grimly around the clearing. She shook her head and looked back up at Kakashi.

"You'd better watch him like a hawk," she said sternly. Kakashi gave a nod in concurrence. "After he gets us across the sea," she continued. "I don't care where he goes, but he's not coming with us to the cannon."

"Fair enough," Kakashi said, shrugging his shoulders. Yuiko took a deep breath, schooling her features into an impartial mask.

"Orders?" she asked bluntly. Kakashi felt the jab from the impersonal remark. He opened his mouth to speak but Yuiko's cold expression caused him to lose his conviction.

Kakashi raised his hands to flash a series of signs, his appearance changing back to that of Yamato in a poof of smoke.

"Alright, let's move out," he said, stepping away from Yuiko to approach Genma and Kabuto. "We have a long trip ahead of us."

.

* * *

.

The sun was getting low; the trees' shadows stretched over the group as they dashed along the forest floor bathed in soft yellow light. Their unit had traveled in near silence, Kakashi's voice only piping up once from the front when he ordered them to put up a camouflage jutsu while crossing a wide field of grass.

It was for this reason that Kabuto's voice was especially jarring when he spoke up and slid to a halt. The rest of the group followed, Yuiko and Genma eyeing Kabuto suspiciously.

"Captain," Kabuto said, speaking to Kakashi. Kakashi was still disguised as Yamato, since they had yet to cross the border into the Land of Hot Water. Kakashi nodded in acknowledgement, regarding Kabuto with far less malice than his companions.

"I sense that there is a group of shinobi ahead," Kabuto said, his voice steady. "They're somewhere between 40 and 50 miles northeast of our location."

Genma huffed as he shifted the senbon in his mouth from one side to the other. "There's no way you can sense anyone that far away," he said.

"Normally, I would agree," Kabuto said, trying to sound as courteous as possible. "I'm actually utilizing my sage mode, which allows me to pick up chakra signatures from much farther away than a normal sensor."

"Can you tell how many?" Kakashi asked. Kabuto smiled and gave a curt nod.

"Five, I believe," he said. "If any of them are sensors, we'll fall within their range within an hour if we continue heading in our current direction."

Kakashi put his chin in his hand as he lowered his eyes in thought. Genma crossed his arms, looking over at Kakashi. "If he's right," Genma said, though his voice indicated that he had yet to be convinced, "then we should just change course and stay out of their range. When I was looking over the active retrieval missions this morning, none of our guys were stationed to be out there. This group could be from Kumo."

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "They are, most likely," he replied. "But changing course is out of the question. We need to pass through the region by this evening to make it to the shoreline by early tomorrow morning. I want to maximize the amount of time we can spend searching for the cannon once we get to the Land of Lightning."

Genma lightly punched his open palm as an idea struck him. "If these guys are Kumo shinobi, then maybe we can get them to give up the location of the cannon! I'm a little rusty at interrogations, but —"

"No," Kakashi and Yuiko chorused flatly, and Kabuto shook his head. Genma blinked in confusion, and Kakashi tilted his head slightly to Yuiko as an indicator for her to explain.

"The Raikage wouldn't send anyone with information like that out here," Yuiko said, putting a hand on her hip. "He probably has a suspicion that we might try something when it comes to the cannon. Unless there's a shelter nearby that we don't know about, the only reason any Kumo shinobi would be here would be to stop any meddling from Konoha."

Genma gnawed at the tip of his senbon, annoyed that even Kabuto had come to that conclusion before he had. "But if that's the case," he countered, "then why would the Raikage send them out here? It's risky leaving a group out here with no shelter from the falling debris, and there's a possibility that the surface might get wiped out in a few days."

"You're forgetting something," Kakashi said, raising a finger. "The Raikage, and probably most people in the Land of Lightning, are under the impression that this cannon is going to save the day. They just have to worry about avoiding any debris until it's charged. It's still dangerous, but doable."

Genma frowned, knitting his brow. Kabuto stepped forward and meekly looked up at Kakashi.

"If I may," he said politely, "I believe the best course of action would be to immobilize the Kumo shinobi, if that's who they turn out to be, and send a message back to the shelter to have one of our groups pick them up. I can use my sage mode to avoid detection and handle the group on my own, if we wish to keep the element of surprise."

Kakashi studied Kabuto with a blank expression. As the silence stretched on, Genma became visibly annoyed. "You can't be considering it," he said, looking back and forth between Kakashi and Kabuto.

"I am," Kakashi said, his hands on his hips. "But I would prefer not to send him alone, if possible." His eyes shifted to Yuiko, who looked back at him with an irritated expression. "Our group only has one other person who can avoid detection if there's a sensor among them," he continued.

Yuiko closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them slowly to look at Kabuto. It was the first time she had looked him in the eye since he'd appeared that morning, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly from the sheer amount of contempt in her stare.

"You will stay in front of me at all times," she said, her voice soft. "You will not engage anyone until you have my permission. I will stop you if you try to run, using any means I need to."

Kabuto nodded solemnly in agreement. Genma flinched when Yuiko's cold gaze landed on him. "Wait an hour and forty minutes after we've left," she said. "At that time, you two can teleport to my seal. I'll shoot up some steam as a signal if we need help beforehand."

"Yeah, whatever you say," Genma said, exhaling in relief when Yuiko's attention left him. She looked over to Kakashi, who was watching her coolly.

"Don't do anything stupid," she said. Yuiko turned away before he could respond and stepped toward Kabuto. Kabuto's eyes danced briefly over Kakashi and Genma before he turned about and dashed out of the clearing. Yuiko leapt after him in a flash. Kakashi let out a small sigh as he watched their figures fade among the trees.

* * *

A/N: I'm still planning on putting up three chapters next week, although the days/times might be a little wonky since my life is getting pretty busy for the next few weeks. Thanks for bearing with me!


	100. Chapter 100

About half an hour after they'd started running, Kabuto informed Yuiko that they would soon be in range if there was a sensor. They flitted among the shadows of the trees, Kabuto directing Yuiko with subtle hand signs as she followed.

Kabuto eventually held up a hand, and the two of them came to a stop. He slowly started walking to his left, keeping his eyes locked on the area to his right; searching between the sea of nearly barren trees.

A large, moss covered boulder slowly came into view a few yards to their right. Kabuto crouched, stepping silently over the dead leaves as he made for cover. Yuiko followed his lead and joined him to press herself against the side of the rock. She glanced to Kabuto, who peeked out from the other side of the boulder. He pulled back and turned toward her. Yuiko had to fight the urge to recoil when he leaned in.

"There are five Kumo shinobi about 20 yards to the north," he whispered. "I can make them out through the trees, if you'd like to take a look for yourself."

Yuiko kept Kabuto in the corner of her eye as she pulled away, slowly leaning to the side of the boulder. She was able to make out a few figures between the trees, although she only counted three. The white flak jackets immediately gave them away as Kumo shinobi. She could make out that they were standing together, seemingly chatting.

"You're sure there's only five?" Yuiko asked, ducking her head back behind the rock.

Kabuto nodded, his expression grim. "I can't make out what they're saying, but I can feel their chakra signatures. None of them appear to be heightened."

Yuiko frowned, looking away in thought. _What the hell are they doing out here?_

"Lady Yuiko," Kabuto said, catching her attention. "All five shinobi are within a few yards of each other. With your permission, I believe I can subdue them."

Yuiko studied Kabuto, weighing her options. Since it didn't appear that the Kumo shinobi had a sensor, it would be easy to simply sneak past their group and be on their way. But something wasn't right; these shinobi wouldn't be out here for no reason. She couldn't waste time waiting on Kakashi and Genma; a decision needed to be made.

"We'll do it together," Yuiko said. "Tell me exactly where they all are."

—

A crow cawed in the distance. The red-haired kunoichi turned her head lazily to regard the sound. She sat upon a small rock, her elbows resting on her knees. She was in a foul mood, which her companion wasn't making any better.

"What if," her teammate said, a morose look on his face as he gazed out into the forest, "he just goes blind? You know, since it's so dark."

Karui sighed, putting her face in her hand. "You can't go blind by only spending a few days in the dark, you idiot."

Her companion, Omoi, was sitting cross-legged on the ground. His posture straightened as he shot Karui an offended look. "I know that," he said, the lollipop stick between his lips bouncing up and down, "but what if a meteor hits the entrance, and he's trapped underground for _years_? What if he becomes so malnourished that he can't even build up the energy to dig himself out? Then he'll have to spend the rest of his life wandering underground, all alone. Though maybe he won't be alone … maybe there'll be a tribe of other sub-surface dwellers, and he'll have to face trial-by-combat in order to avoid becoming a slave of the mole-people."

Karui slowly raised her amber eyes to regard Omoi, disbelief etched across her face.

"I'm too depressed to get up," she said, her eyes drooping slightly. She regarded Omoi, his hair a stark white though he was still a young man. She had a theory that it may have changed prematurely due to the obscene level of worrying he did all the time.

"Come over here so I can smack you without leaving this rock."

The sound of crunching leaves caught her attention; Karui raised her head from her hand as she watched a figure enter the clearing. She and Omoi scrambled to their feet, and their three teammates were at their side in an instant as they stared down the hooded figure.

"Please, don't be alarmed," the cloaked figure said. The newcomer's head was lowered just enough for its hood to hide most of its features. The voice sounded masculine, and had a cheerful demeanor which only put the Kumo shinobi more on edge.

Karui and Omoi each reached behind their heads, gripping their swords' hilts.

"I don't want to hurt you," the man continued, keeping his voice light, "but I will need to subdue you for my own safety, so please try not to struggle."

"Who the hell is this guy?" Karui growled, her eyes narrowing. Suddenly, a series of glowing green chains burst through the ground and wrapped around her feet. Karui drew her sword, her eyes darting between her feet and the cloaked man.

She whipped her head about from the sound of a cry to her left, and saw Omoi feebly trying to sever the chains with his sword.

"Omoi!" she shouted, pointing her sword in his direction. Omoi caught her gaze, quickly bringing his weapon to meet hers.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Bomb!"

The pair lowered their swords in tandem. A ball of blue electricity swirled between the blades, dispersing into two streams that shot toward their ankles. Karui squinted against the light, watching as the chains shuddered around her legs. The chain holding on to her left leg snapped, and she pulled back her right foot to try to shatter the other. This one was more stubborn, though, and the bolt of lightning dissipated before she was free. She whipped her head up, seeing that Omoi had better luck than she did, and watched as he dashed toward the cloaked figure.

A large white snake had slithered out from under the man's robe, a writhing mass of flesh churning upon its head as it hovered before him. The snake pulled itself away as Omoi approached, and the cloaked man swung one hand forward to cast a wave of small black snakes toward his assailant. Omoi cut through the snakes with an arcing slash, leaping into the air as he descended on his opponent.

The robed man quickly leapt back, as if trying to gain cover in the trees. A glowing, green object erupted from the ground, wrapping itself around his leg. The man jolted to a halt, letting out a surprised grunt as his gaze landed on the chain. His head snapped up just in time to face Omoi as he was skewered on the Kumo shinobi's blade.

The man's head snapped back, his hood falling to his shoulders. Karui's eyes grew wide as she took in the monstrous, snake-like features of his face. The snake-man's jaw dropped, unhinging grotesquely as a massive object shot out from his throat. The object dropped to the ground a few feet away, and the Kumo shinobi looked on in horror as it came to its feet. The object — another version of the snake-man himself — was shirtless now, and covered in a thin layer of slime, but he didn't show any signs of having been run through.

The upper half of a large snake protruded from the man's abdomen, and a writhing lump formed atop its head as it moved itself in front of his chest. The lump shaped itself into the upper body of another figure, albeit one with six arms. The new figure spit out a large glob of goo into its hands, stretching it between its fingers. The snake-man leapt into the air, and suddenly a large spider-like web fell over the group.

The Kumo shinobi were pushed to the ground under the heavy webbing, struggling frantically, but finding that they were unable to break free. Karui gripped the web with both hands, funneling electricity through her fingers as she tried to burn it away, but the lightning only fizzled out and she grunted in frustration.

The chains binding the legs of Karui and her companions dissipated with a soft 'clink.' Another figure entered the clearing — an older Konoha kunoichi with brown hair and eyes. She was watching the snake-man closely as he slid his cloak off of a floppy pile of white skin. Karui picked up pieces of a hushed conversation as the man pulled the garment over himself.

"… used a transformation," the woman said harshly.

The man bowed slightly, most of his response too soft for Karui to hear over the frustrated grunts of her companions as they fought the webbing.

"… I assure you. I apologize for the misunderstanding," the man said.

Karui's brow furrowed as she looked between the pair.

 _What the hell is going on?_

"Stay where I can see you," the woman whispered. She turned to face the Kumo shinobi, and the two of them walked together to stand before the group. The woman gazed over them, spending extra time on Karui and Omoi.

"We don't want to hurt you," the woman said, trying to sound reassuring. Karui could swear she had heard that voice before, but she couldn't place it.

"Why is your group in the Land of Fire?" the woman asked.

The Kumo shinobi kept silent; Karui felt the eyes of her companions on her. She was the captain of this 'unit,' so that was to be expected. Her eyes flicked over to Omoi, who was watching her with a serious expression. Karui looked back up at the woman and studied her intently.

"We were coming to find you," Karui said, her voice full of resolve. "We left our assigned post, and snuck out with some information about the cannon to relay to Konoha. We can't get anywhere near it without the Raikage knowing, so we thought we'd try here. We were taking a quick break before heading on."

The woman's expression darkened, and Karui could tell that she was trying to weigh if this was a deception. "You'd go against the Raikage's orders?" she asked.

 _Dammit, that voice,_ Karui thought, racking her brain.

"The Raikage locked up Killer B," Karui said, watching surprise flash over the woman's face. "He figured out that B was the one who told you all about the cannon. He also knew that those of us who are loyal to Lord B wouldn't like it, so he sent us out on a fool's errand. He just wanted us out of the way."

The woman crossed her arms, drumming her fingers over her arm. "This sounds like a very convenient story," she said.

"The Hokage's wife," Omoi said mildly. Both Karui and the woman snapped their heads in his direction. Omoi shrugged halfheartedly. "We met her during the Konoha trip a few months back."

The woman was staring down at him intently, and Omoi began to sound slightly annoyed. "It's not our fault you didn't think we would remember," he said. "Lord B has a thing for music; he always asks us to keep an ear out for any collaborators. Your voice isn't a contender, though. Sorry."

"Shut up! Shut up!" Karui shouted, her eyes wild. "Don't insult the damn wife of the Hokage!"

Omoi frowned. "I said I was sorry," he said. He glanced back up at the woman. "My sincere apologies if I offended you, Lady Yuiko."

The woman only let out a sigh as she rubbed her eyes with one hand. Her appearance changed to one more recognizable in a plume of smoke. "As always, Killer B has a way of surprising me," she drawled.

Karui took in the familiar appearance, her mood brightening significantly. "You're going after the cannon, right?" she asked.

The corner of Yuiko's mouth twitched. She was beginning to think that she'd made a mistake in revealing herself instead of just taking Kabuto and moving on. Her curiosity had got the better of her, and it seemed that it was going to bite her in the ass.

"Are you going to try and destroy it?" Omoi asked when Yuiko didn't answer.

Yuiko shook her head, closing her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about," she replied.

"Bullshit!" Karui yelled, pulling on the webbing. "Why else would you be out here?!"

"Karui," Omoi said, knitting his brow. "Don't use that kind of language in front of —"

"It's fine!" Yuiko interjected. She was growing frustrated; this situation was quickly spiraling out of control. "We're going to send a message to have you picked up. You'll be kept at the Land of Fire shelter until this issue with the Moon is settled. We'll be on our way."

Yuiko started pulling some paper out of a side pouch, but paused at the sound of Omoi's voice. "Don't destroy it," he said sternly. "If you can get to the monitor, code 42577859 will lock the cannon and prompt a new passcode. Make a new code, and you can keep the cannon from firing until you unlock the system."

Yuiko studied him intently, trying to decipher the motivation behind his determined look.

"Lord B thinks Naruto deserves a chance," Karui cut in. "We do, too."

Yuiko crossed her arms, studying their faces. Although they hadn't said a word, Karui and Omoi's companions also looked up at her with stubborn expressions. Killer B wasn't the type to keep information to himself, and he had probably let more than a few of the Kumo people know about Naruto's whereabouts. Despite what they were facing, sacrificing the world's greatest hero was probably not a popular option.

"I'll take note of this information," Yuiko said, carefully choosing her words. "I can't risk letting you go, so we'll still send a message to have you picked up."

"What?!" Karui shouted, struggling wildly. "We can help you! We can guide you to where the cannon is! We can —"

"No," Yuiko interjected, holding up a hand. "Your team was caught by surprise by a group of Konoha shinobi who were searching for civilians who hadn't yet reached shelter. You did not divulge _any_ critical information to these shinobi, and you accompanied them to safety without resistance. If the Moon doesn't kill us all, but certain events unfold that threaten a rift between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning, you will be returned to Kumo without any suspicions of treason."

Karui gritted her teeth, mulling over the information. "If you get captured …"

"That won't happen," Yuiko stated bluntly, looking down at her. Karui almost made the same argument for the snake-man, but considering what she saw him do earlier to avoid being stabbed, she had a feeling that he wasn't the type to be caught, either.

"The webbing will be released, but first we're going to drain most of your chakra to knock you out," Yuiko said, reaching into her side pouch. "You'll wake up later when another group breaks the seal. You can tell them that you saw me, but I would appreciate if you didn't mention him." Yuiko titled her head toward the snake-man, who ducked his head down slightly.

"Fair enough," Karui said with a nod. "But first, let me tell you where the cannon is. And if you hear anything from Naruto, tell him that we're rootin' for him."

* * *

A/N: Head canon- Chōji shares a bag of potato chips with Karui while she's being held in the shelter. The two disclose opinions on which regional flavors are the best. Chōji asks Karui to go out on a date with him after this whole thing blows over. Karui decides that, what the hell, the world might end anyway so why not. And thus the saga of love and potato chips is born!


	101. Chapter 101

"Good morning, sunshine."

Yuiko opened her eyes, groggily looking back up at Kakashi's smiling face. Her gaze shifted over his shoulder, noting that the stars were still glittering above.

"There's no sunshine," she said, sitting up in her bedroll. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, annoyed at how tired she still was.

Kakashi had stopped them for the night a little over four hours previous, dividing their group into three two-hour shifts for keeping watch, excluding Kabuto. Yuiko had been exhausted, so Kakashi had insisted that she take last watch. It seemed that the stress of the whole situation was making her burn chakra at a faster rate than normal, and using the chakra chains on six people had wiped her out more than she'd expected. It was a bit embarrassing, considering how well everyone else seemed to be handling the situation.

"Are you feeling alright?" Kakashi asked, watching her apprehensively.

"Fine," Yuiko replied curtly.

Kakashi straightened and took a few steps back as she rose to her feet. Giving space was a courtesy the two of them tried to share with each other when one was in a foul mood. Yuiko normally had the easier end of that arrangement, since Kakashi would simply retreat from everyone entirely until he put his thoughts in order (to the utter dismay of his assistants). Yuiko, on the other hand, would go about her daily life but simply act as if Kakashi wasn't in it. Phasing through him wasn't beneath her, nor was ignoring him entirely when he tried to engage her. Kakashi figured that this behavior was likely a remnant of the years she spent alone, where shutting her emotions down as much as possible was used as a coping mechanism since she had no one to talk to.

There was a mutual agreement that the way the two of them dealt with conflict wasn't ideal, but changing old habits was a gradual process. Kakashi was grateful at the very least that Yuiko was talking to him, even if she still wouldn't look him directly in the eye.

"I probably just pushed myself too hard," Yuiko said as she stretched her sore muscles. "I'm feeling better now; go get some sleep."

Kakashi eyed her warily. Yuiko stepped past him without a second glance as she took her place on a nearby log. There had been no need for a campfire, since the disturbingly large full moon was illuminating the small clearing quite effectively.

Kakashi anxiously ran his hand through his hair. "I don't mind staying up with you," he said softly. Yuiko glanced at him briefly before looking away.

"I'm not in the mood for company."

Kakashi winced. He considered pressing the matter, but decided that it would be best to drop it. He slowly turned away and took a few steps toward the bedroll he'd rolled out near where Genma slept.

"Thank you, though."

Kakashi's walk slowed to a stop. He turned to regard Yuiko over his shoulder. She still wasn't looking at him, but the tone of her voice betrayed a hint of resignation. Kakashi's features relaxed slightly.

"Don't hesitate to wake me if you need more sleep," he said.

Kakashi stepped over to his bedroll and crawled inside. Yuiko regarded him out of the corner of her eye as he got himself settled and went still. She waited a few minutes until she picked up the familiar sound of his slowed breathing. It was only then that she dared to turn her head and make it obvious that she was watching him. Guilt turned over in Yuiko's stomach as she regarded the tuft of silver hair peeking out of the bedroll, knowing that her sustained aloofness might be taking things too far.

The sting of betrayal still clung to her like a burr, but the combination of Kakashi's apologetic looks and the conversation they'd had the day prior was starting to wear down her conviction to stay upset. It also didn't help that she'd caught him sneaking glances at the clock on his hand when he thought she wasn't looking, and that he appeared just a little more worn down every time he did so. Without a doubt she wouldn't stay mad for long, but it was going to be hard to let it go, at least until they crossed the sea later in the day. Forgiveness seemed like it would be much easier without Kabuto present.

Something shifted to her left; Yuiko's eyes narrowed as she watched the subject of her grievances rise from his bedroll. Yuiko expected Kabuto to ask her permission to relieve himself in the woods, but instead he sat down nearby, crossing his legs beneath his robe.

Yuiko froze, unsure what could possibly be going through his mind to make him think that engaging her was a good idea. She had been cordial during their mission earlier, and begrudgingly admitted that his ability to quickly send a message back to the shelter via a snake was useful, but under no circumstance was she willing to enjoy his company.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly, her eyes locking with his yellow ones. Kabuto smiled, but in the darkness, it was hard to interpret the sincerity behind the gesture.

"There is something I would like to say to you, if you'll allow me, Lady Yuiko," Kabuto said softly.

Yuiko's shoulders stiffened. "I do not —"

"Please," Kabuto said, his voiced straining. Yuiko glanced over to her companions; Kakashi and Genma still appeared fast asleep. She looked back at Kabuto, a burning sensation rising in her chest as she regarded him. She gave a slight nod, hoping that whatever he had to say would be short so he could hurry up and leave her alone.

Kabuto lowered his head and threaded his fingers together as he regarded his hands in his lap. He sat in silence for a moment, which only helped to fuel Yuiko's irritation.

"Someone told me once that those who cannot acknowledge themselves will fail," he finally said. "Perhaps you heard of the genjutsu I was put under where I had to do just that in order to return to this reality."

Yuiko was aware of the genjutsu — Kakashi had relayed the story that he had heard from Sasuke concerning the fight between Kabuto and the two Uchiha brothers. It was a powerful sharingan jutsu that trapped the victim in an infinite loop until they could come to terms with their true selves. Kabuto had been able to break it, but that fact did little to change Yuiko's opinion of the man. His true self may very well be a backstabbing murderer; him simply acknowledging it wouldn't change a thing in her eyes.

"Thanks to Itachi Uchiha, and to the rest of Konoha, I feel that I've been able to rediscover my true self," Kabuto continued.

Yuiko's eyebrow twitched. She didn't like talking about Itachi Uchiha. Despite the years that passed, her mind could only conjure images of the odd little boy who would study her movements with large, onyx eyes during the few times Mikoto asked her to look after him.

Part of her was glad that she never saw Itachi again as an adult. After everything that she heard about what happened to him, she liked to remember him as the boy he had been – back when his parents were alive and he would hover over her shoulder watching like a hawk when she would sit and hold his younger brother. He had been a weird kid – his pensive nature reminding her more of a sixty-year-old than a six-year-old. But he had been a good kid. A good kid that had been forced to do something unspeakable. Yuiko was thankful that she didn't know what it was like to look him in the eyes again, after that.

"Itachi helped me more than I thought could be possible," Kabuto continued. "He –"

"I don't want to hear it," Yuiko said dismissively. "I don't want to hear about him from you."

Uncertainty flashed behind Kabuto's eyes. He shook his head, letting the matter go.

"It turns out that all I ever wanted was to return to my family," he said softly. "I just wanted to feel that I belonged."

The two sat in silence. Yuiko watched Kabuto intently as he kept his head lowered. Yuiko had hoped that would be the end of it, but Kabuto spoke up again.

"I didn't have anyone to call a friend after I left the orphanage," he said. "I traveled around for most of my youth, having no one to confide in. I felt that I had nothing, and that I was no one."

Yuiko's hand twitched, her lips growing taut. She tried to ignore the familiar twinge of pain in her chest. Her eyes darted away to put her thoughts elsewhere, but the gesture backfired as her gaze landed on the Moon. She recalled the conversation she had with Kakashi all those years ago when she introduced him to her old friends in the night's sky.

' _I was alone a lot. Even with my grandfather around, I still would feel alone. There was nobody for me to talk to about things that were bothering me …'_

 _So I talked to the stars ... because that's all I had._

"I was always an outsider," Kabuto continued. "Lord Orochimaru was the first person to make me feel that I belonged, that I was wanted. I was willing to look past all the horrible things he did just to have his friendship."

Noboru's face flashed before Yuiko's eyes, his blue eyes sparking as he beamed at her. The painful feeling grew.

 _Shut up._

"It isn't an excuse by any means," Kabuto said quietly, lifting his head, "but it was that desperation to belong that drove me forward. I was willing to do anything — to change myself in any way — in order to feel that I had a purpose. I wanted more than anything to feel that I had a place in this world."

 _You wouldn't know. You wouldn't know what true loneliness feels like._

"Konoha has given me that purpose," Kabuto continued earnestly. "I never knew my parents; the orphanage was the only place where I felt I had a family. Lord Hokage allowing me to help the children there has given me a drive that I never thought I could have. I —"

"Shut up," Yuiko said, turning away from him. "I know what you're doing."

Kabuto frowned, watching her anxiously. Yuiko brought her sleeve to her face and roughly wiped her cheek.

"I'm not like you," she said, her voice almost inaudible.

Kabuto dropped his gaze. "I would be lying if I said that thought never crossed my mind," he said. "I used to detest you for it. You were an outsider like me – but unlike me – Konoha had accepted you. You had found your place; your family. You had everything I wanted."

He raised his head, moonlight reflecting off his glasses in a way that hid his expression. "I took more pleasure in making you suffer than I like to admit. The time I saw you on the day Konoha was attacked wasn't a chance encounter. I purposely crossed paths with your team as an excuse to see you. The information I was looking for was trivial; what I really wanted was to drag you down and make you feel like a traitor. I wanted you to feel like me."

Yuiko bristled. Kabuto shifted, the reflection on his glasses disappearing. The furious expression on Yuiko's face fell away as she stared at him.

"I needed someone else to feel as alone as I was," Kabuto whispered.

Yuiko almost lost her conviction. Almost.

"That doesn't excuse anything," she spat.

Kabuto didn't answer, but slowly rose to his feet. He paused, unsure if he should continue.

"I'm sorry to bring him up again," he said. "But there was something else Itachi said to me."

Yuiko held his gaze with a steady stare.

"He told me, 'I hate you, but I also understand you.'"

Yuiko didn't answer. She clutched the material of her pants in her fists. Kabuto slowly turned away and made his way back to his bedroll. He paused as he reached it.

"I'm sorry for everything, Lady Yuiko," he said gently. Kabuto slowly knelt to the ground and positioned himself in his bedroll. He reached up to remove his glasses, then went still.

Yuiko's gaze bore into the back of his head. She gritted her teeth, begrudgingly failing to prevent another tear from falling down her cheek.


	102. Chapter 102

"Man, this place is creepy," Genma said, his brown eyes darting about the boarded-up shops.

Their group had reached the Land of Hot Water's eastern shoreline just as the sun had started to peek above the horizon. They were now strolling through an abandoned village, which Yuiko recognized as the port where she and Jiraiya had last seen the medicinist Nezumi what felt like a lifetime ago. The wide streets had been filled to the brim with travelers back then, which added to the eeriness of their current situation. A low fog clung around their ankles, swirling about in waves as they made their way to the water.

As the docks came into view, Yuiko could see an array of boats tied to the thick posts or dragged up onto the sand. The boats ranged in size from two-person rowboats to towering steamboats that could ferry dozens. Further down the shore she could just make out some debris littered over a series of large rocks sticking out from the water. It looked like some of the vessels had been crushed against the rocks by a wave caused by debris falling south of the village.

Their group had been lucky so far to only catch glimpses of meteors that passed far overhead, but as the days went by their numbers were starting to increase. Phasing through one or two might not be so bad, but if they were to get caught in a storm … Yuiko shook her head, pushing away the pessimistic thought.

"We're being watched," Kakashi said suddenly, cutting through the silence. He came to a stop; the four of them stood back-to-back on the beach as the water gently lapped at their feet.

"Who the hell would be dumb enough to still be out here?" Genma whispered, his eyes darting between the rooftops and alleyways of the boarded-up buildings.

"Lord Hokage," a voice rang out. The group looked up at one of the large steam ships tied to the dock. A figure stood at the bow of the vessel, his hands clasped over the metal railing.

"Well, this is a surprise," Kakashi said mildly, looking up at the Kiri shinobi.

Chōjūrō of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen watched them gravely, his light blue hair almost disappearing in the mist that hung over the water. Yuiko could make out that the young man had grown a bit taller since she last saw him around a year before; he'd been among the small group of Kiri shinobi to accompany the Mizukage during her last visit to Konoha. She remembered the swordsman as quiet and generally kind, which was an odd contrast to the intimidating set of pointed teeth that were revealed when he spoke.

Yuiko hadn't believed Kakashi when he'd told her that Chōjūrō was being groomed as the next Mizukage, but the grim expression on the Kiri nin's face offered a commanding presence that she hadn't thought the man was capable of.

"Lord Hokage," Chōjūrō repeated, his voice steady. "Lady Fifth called Lady Mizukage early this morning imploring Kirigakure to intervene with your mission to target Kumogakure's chakra cannon. She asked that we apprehend you and return you and the members of your group back to the Konoha shelter for your own safety."

A number of figures stepped into view behind Chōjūrō, seemingly materializing from the mist itself. At least a dozen Kiri shinobi stood on the deck, and a few popped up on the rooftops around them for good measure.

Kakashi kept his attention locked on Chōjūrō, drumming his fingers against his thigh. He exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he slowly turned his head to regard Kabuto.

"You should have been able to sense all of them before we could," he stated flatly. Kabuto didn't reply.

"You sent a separate message to Tsunade yesterday, didn't you?" Kakashi asked, his voice devoid of emotion.

Yuiko and Genma turned to regard Kabuto out of the corners of their eyes. The focus of their attention dipped his head down. "Yes, Lord Hokage," he said softly.

"Why?" Kakashi said, a hint of malice in his voice now that his suspicion was confirmed.

"Because your family is here, too, Lord Hokage," Kabuto replied, raising his head slightly to regard Yuiko. "It wouldn't be right to forget about them."

Kakashi didn't speak, but the hard line between his eyebrows gave away the anger churning beneath the surface. Kabuto lowered his eyes, offering nothing more in his defense.

"However," Chōjūrō said, once again grabbing their attention, "the entire reason my crew and I are in the area at all is because we, too, were on our way to the Land of Lightning to try and delay the firing of the cannon."

The senbon in Genma's mouth dropped to the sand, landing point-up with a soft thud. The Konoha shinobi stared at Chōjūrō in disbelief.

"Lady Mizukage means no ill toward Lady Fifth," Chōjūrō continued, "but she is well aware that _you_ are the current Hokage, Lord Kakashi, and Kiri has decided to lend you aid in this matter."

Yuiko brought her attention back to Kakashi, who was staring at Chōjūrō with a stunned expression.

"You have got to be the luckiest son of a bitch on this planet," Genma mumbled. Kakashi blinked a few times, bringing himself back to reality.

"We would be happy to have Kiri's assistance," Kakashi said, raising his voice. "Do you happen to know if Tsunade also informed the Raikage of our intentions?"

"No, Lord Hokage," Chōjūrō answered. "But Lady Tsunade mentioned that she wanted to have the issue taken care of discreetly, if possible."

Genma chuckled, bending down to pick his senbon out of the sand. "Oh, she is going to be _mad_." But his laughter stopped suddenly, and his expression became grim. "Shizune probably isn't going to speak to me again," he added.

"Your love life isn't our concern at the moment," Kakashi said, keeping his eyes on Chōjūrō. He then shouted up to the Kiri shinobi, "How many shinobi are you able to leave behind?"

Chōjūrō looked at the men behind him for a moment before turning back around. "I can spare up to six, Lord Hokage."

"Good," Kakashi said, bringing his attention back to Kabuto. "I would like to request that you leave six shinobi behind to watch Kabuto. I don't want him sending word to Lady Tsunade about this turn of events."

Kabuto's gaze nervously darted between Kakashi and Yuiko. "Please, Lord Hokage," he said. "Lady Yuiko –"

"You do not have permission to speak," Kakashi said, his voice steady. Kabuto's eyes grew wide in alarm.

"Her condition, Lord Hokage –"

"Hey," Genma said, taking a step toward him. "The Hokage gave you an order."

Kabuto backed away, a panicked look falling over his face. His eyes landed on Yuiko, who was watching him with a puzzled expression. He opened his mouth to speak, but Kakashi's cold stare suddenly filled his vision as the Hokage stepped between them. Kakashi towered over Kabuto, the bespectacled man shrinking under his gaze.

"As Hokage, it is my duty to acknowledge the concerns of my citizens," he said. "But that duty is very close to no longer applying to you."

Kabuto did little to hide his distress. Kakashi's eyes narrowed.

"Please, Lord Hokage," Kabuto implored. "Now that I've found it again, I do not wish to lose my home. I don't …" he dropped his gaze, shaking his head. "… I don't want anyone to."

"Losing our home is not my intention," Kakashi said, regarding him coolly. "There would be no point saving the group on the Moon if they had nothing to come back to."

Kabuto raised his head, his words dying on his lips as he met Kakashi's gaze. He lost his conviction and dipped his head down as he turned around. Kabuto walked toward the waiting Kiri shinobi, his figure fading into the mist.

.

* * *

.

Kakashi leaned over the railing, watching the water splash over the starboard side of the boat. He preferred looking down to looking up these days, since the near-constant array of meteors overhead, paired with an increasingly large moon at night, was becoming a serious threat to his healthy blood pressure. He sighed, pulling the fingerless glove off his left hand to regard the clock on his palm.

The Moon would crash into the Earth the day after next if nothing was done about it. Unfortunately, they were making poor time on the steam ship and were not expected to land in the Land of Lightning until the end of the day. The waters were extremely choppy, which the Kiri shinobi chalked up to the constant stream of meteors falling into the ocean. If the information Yuiko had received from the Kumo shinobi was correct, they could expect to make it to the cannon by the morning of the twelfth day. They'd be cutting things much closer than he wanted, but he hoped that either they could beat the cannon or Naruto and his team could solve the issue beforehand.

"Hey," a voice said, and Yuiko joined him at his side. "Looking out over the ocean with a wistful expression is supposed to be my job."

"My apologies," Kakashi said, the corner of his eyes crinkling. "The position seemed understaffed, so I decided to fill in."

Yuiko made a humming sound in acknowledgement. This was the first time that the two of them had been alone since starting the mission, and Kakashi's stomach turned uncomfortably. "Go ahead," he said with a sigh. "You can say it."

Yuiko turned toward him, watching him steadily. She took a deep breath, and her head suddenly dipped down as she vomited over the railing. Kakashi watched, stunned, as Yuiko raised her head, passively wiping the corners of her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I seem to be channeling Guy," she deadpanned.

"Are … are you alright?" Kakashi asked, his eyebrows drooping.

Yuiko nodded. "The waters are a little rough."

"Maybe you should lie down."

Yuiko shook her head and looked out over the water.

The boat bobbed up and down, and Yuiko showed no inclination to speak. Kakashi wondered if she was doing it on purpose, since it was only making him feel worse.

"You were right, as it turned out," he finally said. "I never should have brought Kabuto. He pulled the kind of trick that I should have seen coming from a mile away. If I wasn't so gung-ho about his motives, I would have been paying closer attention."

"He wasn't —" Yuiko started, looking away uncomfortably. "You didn't make a mistake."

This was honestly the last thing Kakashi had expected to hear. He would have liked for her to expand on the subject, but he knew when to press his quickly dwindling luck, and now wasn't one of those times. He settled instead for an awkward pat on her back, followed by a quick change in the subject.

"Have you been able to reach Naruto?" he asked.

Yuiko shook her head, meeting his gaze. "No. He hasn't responded when I've tried." Worry flashed over her face. Kakashi put his hand over hers in a comforting gesture.

"He's handled worse," he said, his eyes upturning in a smile. "Everyone on his team is a capable shinobi. They'll all pull through."

Yuiko smiled weakly, nodding in agreement. It was the first time since they'd left the shelter that he'd seen her with a semblance of a cheerful expression, and it helped to ease his tension.

"I don't want you to think I'm doing this with no consideration for the people that are here," Kakashi said, watching her fondly. "After what Kabuto said, I'm afraid I might be giving off that impression."

Yuiko stifled a laugh, shaking her head. "You're trying to look out for everyone," she said. "I wouldn't want your job."

Kakashi smiled, leaning his elbows on the railing. "Trust me — I'm retiring the second Naruto feels that he's ready. Then the two of us are going to move to a deserted island where all paperwork is prohibited … along with all clothing," he finished with a wink.

"If you turn into a pervert like Jiraiya in your old age, then you'll have that island all to yourself," Yuiko smirked.

* * *

A/N: Looks like our group will finally reach the Land of Lightning in the next chapter! And at that… I feel like this is a good stopping point for a short break. Happy holidays to you all, and we'll pick up again after next week! Thank you to everyone for the support- it's honestly amazing how many people read this story and I love hearing your feedback. You guys are awesome! ^_^


	103. Chapter 103

"It's like something out of a movie," Genma said, craning his neck up. "It would be really pretty if I didn't know everything floating up there was trying to kill us."

Genma certainly wasn't wrong. The Moon was massive above them, and a faint, glowing line could be seen stretching across the night sky. The line was made up of the debris that had broken off the Moon and was now caught in Earth's orbit, many pieces of which were coming even closer toward the surface. Streaks of light blinked in and out among the stars, some larger than others, depending on how close the meteors were falling.

Genma dropped his eyes, glancing at Yuiko as she eyed the Moon warily. "You know, if I live through this, I'm going to finally ask Shizune out. I want you to hold me to that, alright?"

"Alright," Yuiko said mildly. "I think she'll say no, though."

Genma regarded Yuiko as if she had just insulted his mother. "What the hell, Sensei? You don't say that to someone who might be dying later today."

"Oh," Yuiko said, catching her mistake. "Yeah, sorry. No, you should totally do it."

Genma huffed, turning away from the cave entrance to take a couple of paces into the opening. Their group had split up about an hour before, all of them scouting a few miles in each direction of the cave to see if they could spot anything. They were surrounded by wide plains of short, yellow grass spotted with towering outcrops of stone. This was around the area Karui had mentioned the cannon should be. Yuiko and Genma had both returned from looking north and east, and Kakashi and Chōjūrō were still out looking south and west.

The Kiri ship had dropped anchor a few miles from shore late the previous evening, and the four of them traveled the rest of the way by foot. Chōjūrō had ordered his crew of shinobi to guard the boat and be ready for a quick departure if required. Depending on what happened, leaving the Land of Lightning via ship may be necessary if the Raikage had the land border on lockdown.

Kakashi had told Chōjūrō quite frankly that he didn't have to accompany them if he wished to delay Kiri's entanglement with the growing conflict between Konoha and Kumo. Kiri could still deny any involvement at this point, which Kakashi was more than willing to support.

Chōjūrō had bluntly refused the offer, however, stating that it was the Mizukage's will to delay the cannon and that he would act accordingly in her stead. Kakashi was grateful for the man's assistance, and was hopeful that the Raikage might be swayed when he realized that Konoha wasn't the only village willing to stand up against his decision. Either that, or Kiri's involvement would only make the Raikage more enraged. It seemed impossible to tell what would set the man off at this point.

A flicker of light at the cave entrance signaled Kakashi's return, and he casually took a seat inside its mouth. "Anything?" he asked, passively gazing over his companions.

"Nothing," Genma stated, and Yuiko shook her head. Kakashi nodded as if this had been what he was expecting.

"I'll send the hounds out if Chōjūrō comes back empty," he said. "I was hoping to avoid the chakra drain, if possible."

"I'll do it then," Yuiko said, pointing at herself with her thumb. "I can summon more of them than you can, anyway."

Yuiko wasn't wrong; ever since Kakashi had her sign the summoning contract shortly after their marriage, Yuiko always had an easier time summing not only the original ninken, but their families at well. She was no longer a jinchūriki, but Kakashi's chakra reserves were still dwarfed by hers … at least normally.

"I wasn't just referring to myself about the chakra drain," Kakashi said warily. "You've been burning through a lot of chakra on this trip. I know you're not used to it, but you need to be careful about overextending yourself."

Yuiko didn't look pleased by the comment, but she couldn't deny that it was true. Her best guess was that her last conversation with Naruto had taken a greater toll on her than she'd thought, and her chakra coils were still recovering from the strain. She wasn't used to having to be cautious concerning chakra drain, and it was turning out to be incredibly annoying.

At that moment, Chōjūrō leapt into the cave, catching his breath. The three Konoha shinobi watched him in anticipation as he composed himself.

"There's a patrol of five Kumo shinobi about 12 miles west," he said. "They're staying in a general area, so I think they're guarding the cannon."

"Good work," Kakashi said, narrowing his eyes in thought. "The Raikage probably has groups spread out along a wide perimeter. We'll need to take them out quietly, since I'm sure they'll have a distress signal in place to catch the attention of other patrols." Kakashi's eyes shifted over the group, landing on Genma.

"Time for you to pull your weight around here," he said, his eyes turning up in a smile.

.

* * *

.

Being on patrol when the world is hours from ending is just as unpleasant a situation as one would think. The Raikage had assured his subordinates that he wasn't going to allow that to happen, but Ryouta couldn't help but to have doubts. The same could be said for a few of his teammates, which Ryouta wasn't sure he found comforting. He and the other members of the patrol stayed within shouting range, but they weren't close enough to have a hushed conversation over their troubles. It didn't help that he felt sick to his stomach every time he glanced up to see the Moon towering over them. All Ryouta could do was keep an eye out for intruders, however unlikely that would be.

Ryouta tilted his head when he picked up the sound of a soft 'thud.' He frowned slightly as he searched for the source. His eyes landed on his teammate a few yards to his left, who seemed more concerned with scowling at the sky than with finding out what the sound may have been. Ryouta had probably been the only one to hear it; he continued to sweep his eyes over the area.

Something small nearby flashed in the moonlight. Ryouta approached it, furrowing his brow as he got closer. The instant it clicked in his brain that he was looking at a senbon, there was a flash of movement to his right. The Kumo nin bolted upward as he watched a blue and green object disappear from behind his teammate. His teammate then started to fall forward, and a cry caught on Ryouta's lips as the blue-green thing appeared below him. He felt something slap his calf, and instantly a numbing sensation ran through his body. He collapsed in the dirt, his vision growing dark as he lost consciousness.

—

"How's that for 'pulling my weight,' huh?" Genma grumbled, yanking the senbon from the dirt. He had been able to plant the senbon and take down the entire patrol using Yuiko's chakra seals in less than 10 seconds, to his count.

"Not too shabby," he said as he casually strolled over to collect his final senbon.

"The last one was only a breath away from calling out," Kakashi said as he walked into view. "Try to be quicker next time, hmm?"

Genma's eyes narrowed. The fact that he had known Kakashi for long enough to tell that he had a shit-eating grin under his mask didn't help.

"If I'm already committing treason, I might as well go all-out," Genma drawled. "Think they'd bump me up to an S-rank criminal if I stuck the Hokage with a senbon in an unmentionable area?"

Kakashi gave Genma's shoulder a reassuring pat as he walked by. Genma's eye twitched from the annoyance that Kakashi couldn't at least _pretend_ to think it was possible.

Yuiko stepped into view over the side of a short hill. She had an unconscious Kumo shinobi slung over each shoulder, and she shot Genma and Kakashi an irritated look as she walked past.

 _Oh, right,_ Genma thought.

He bent down and slung the arm of one of the patrolmen over his shoulders as he lifted him up. He followed Yuiko toward a ridge they had spotted a few yards away. A cluster of boulders beneath the ridge made more than enough cover to easily hide the Kumo shinobi from view, and their group lined them up within the shadows. Chōjūrō had been the first one there; he waited patiently as everyone else carried over the last of the patrol.

"Everyone ready?" Kakashi asked as he stood at the feet of one of the shinobi. He made eye contact with everyone on the team, and in unison their hands flashed through the signs for the transformation jutsu.

Four of the five members of the Kumo patrol now stood looking down at their counterparts. The chakra seals keeping the originals unconscious would be good for at least 10 hours, so they wouldn't have to worry about duplicates running around.

"Everyone clear on the objective?" Kakashi asked, his appearance now that of a lanky man with dark skin and short, black hair. His companions nodded.

Using a combination of Yuiko's phasing and Genma's teleportation, the two of them were to head straight for the cannon. Kakashi and Chōjūrō would come along, but break off if they ran into any trouble. The objective would remain even if they were to run into the Raikage, since Kakashi had decided to go with an 'act first, ask for forgiveness later' approach due to the time limitation. All four of them had memorized the security code for the cannon, just in case.

Yuiko's eyes quickly scanned over her companions to commit their likenesses to memory. It wouldn't do if they got mixed in with other shinobi and she forgot what they looked like.

Chōjūrō's appearance was now that of a man with long, blonde hair tied in a ponytail with his forehead protector secured like a bandanna. Genma took on the appearance of a man with shaggy, brown hair falling over one green eye and a scruffy goatee. Genma had reluctantly removed the senbon from between his teeth to complete the look.

"Yuiko," Kakashi said. The Kumo boy who'd had his attention fixed on Genma turned to look up at him. His unruly black hair stuck out around his face, falling partially over his black eyes and pale skin.

"Remember, do not drop your disguise for _any_ reason," Kakashi warned. "I doubt anyone suspects that you'd be here, but countering your phase wouldn't be difficult for anyone at a jōnin level."

"Do you think they would know how?" Chōjūrō asked, looking between Kakashi and Yuiko.

"Maybe, maybe not," Kakashi said with a shrug. "Yuiko's entry in the Bingo Book had information on how to counter it, so it isn't a secret. If the Raikage has any strong shinobi guarding the cannon — which I'm sure he does — we don't want to give them time to figure it out. We're going to need the element of surprise on our side to make this work."

Kakashi had slightly tweaked the Kumo shinobi's appearance with the addition of a pair of fingerless gloves. He tugged on the glove on his left hand and pulled it off his palm. The clock was still visible, and Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he studied it. "We have less than five hours. Let's head out."


	104. Chapter 104

A/N: Sorry for missing an upload this week. I got food poisoning which hit me like a freight train and left me out of commission for a few days. I'm feeling much better now, so thanks for bearing with me! *gives enthusiastic Might Guy thumbs-up*

* * *

"This way — quick."

C took off running to his right, Darui at his heels.

"I can sense four of them," he continued, his blonde hair bobbing as he turned his head to regard Darui. The dark eye peeking out from beneath his white hair seemed to convey that Darui was unconcerned, but C had known the man long enough to know that wasn't the case.

"Recognize any of them?" Darui asked mildly.

C looked ahead, concentrating as they zeroed in on the intruders. Three of the four signatures were familiar, but the fourth was completely unknown to him. Of the three he recognized, there was only one whose owner he knew for sure. "One of them is the Hokage," he said.

They ran in silence for a few seconds before Darui spoke up. "Are you certain?"

"Positive," his companion replied.

Darui sighed heavily, "it figures Konoha wouldn't make this easy."

The pair leapt atop an outcrop, looking down into the valley of rust-colored soil accented by the occasional yellow bush.

The four Kumo shinobi who had been running in their direction came to a quick halt. C jumped from his perch, creating a cloud of red dirt in his wake as his heels slid down the rock formation. Darui followed his lead, and the pair came to a stop about 30 feet away from the group, keeping a wary distance.

C scanned their chakra signatures. It was easy to pick out the Hokage, and he recognized the chakra signatures of the men with blonde and brown hair as ones he had met somewhere before. The boy, however, had a signature he could not place.

"Lord Hokage," C said, addressing the tallest man of the group. The man showed no sign of distress, but C had expected as much from a shinobi of his experience.

"I'm afraid we cannot allow you to go any further, per the Raikage's orders. We have been instructed to stop outside forces from tampering with the cannon through any means necessary. We will attack you, if it comes to that."

"Sorry," Darui added passively.

The tall man closed his eyes with a sigh. In a poof of smoke, his appearance changed to that of the Hokage. C immediately heightened his senses. This could only mean Kakashi was intending to resist.

Kakashi tilted his head back and forth, popping his neck. He opened his eyes slowly. He seemed relaxed, but the Kumo shinobi could sense something dangerous lurking beneath the surface. Darui reached up for the hilt of his sword, and the blonde man next to Kakashi mirrored his movements as he grasped the hilt of a bandaged sword on his back.

"This will not end well for you," Kakashi said softly. "All I want is to give Naruto and the others time to escape before the cannon fires. I'm not seeking to exchange any lives for theirs."

Darui's eye narrowed. He slowly released his grip on the hilt of his sword. "We don't want a conflict with Konoha," he said. "I apologize for the disrespect, Lord Hokage, but the boss gave us orders we can't ignore. Please, do not try to get past us."

C caught a trace of sadness behind the Hokage's eyes before he glanced over to his companion with the beard. Kakashi gave a small nod, and the bearded man, along with the boy, disappeared in a flash. C and Darui whipped their heads around to catch a glimpse of the pair running away as they reappeared from the body flicker.

"C!" Darui yelled, forming the 'ram' hand seal. "Go!"

Darui's body was encased in black lightning. The electricity twisted and shaped itself into the form of a panther, and then leapt at Kakashi with a howl.

Kakashi reacted instantly as blue lightning erupted from his hand in the shape of a charging canine. The two lightning jutsu collided, resulting in a blinding explosion that hid Kakashi and the blonde shinobi from view.

C quickly turned on his heel, running in the direction of the two fleeing chakra signatures. His hands flashed through a few signs and a blue aura flowed over his body as he reinforced his chakra coils with electricity. He had, unfortunately, only just learned this technique from the Raikage, so he only had enough chakra for one chance.

C focused on the two chakra signatures and released the electricity through his muscles all at once. The world sped past in a blur, and with a booming sound like thunder C found himself standing before the bewildered-looking intruders. The man with the beard protectively stepped in front of the boy, placing a senbon between his teeth. "Get out of here," the man said. "Get to the cannon."

A crease formed between the boy's brows as he scowled at C. "He'll just catch up to me," he said. "You saw how fast he can move."

The bearded man smirked. "We'll see if he can keep up."

The man spat out the senbon between his teeth, which landed near C's feet. In a flash he appeared before C, slashing him across the chest with a kunai.

C leapt back, noting that his flak jacket now had a large gash from his hip to his elbow.

The man started pulling senbon out of a side pouch, throwing them around C's feet. He disappeared again and reappeared behind C, kicking his legs out from under him. The searing pain that erupted from his shoulder followed so quickly that C assumed he had been attacked by the boy before he realized that the bearded man had moved so fast that it was almost as if he could be in two places at once.

C landed hard on his back, and rolled out of the way just as the man tried to follow through with another jab from his kunai. It couldn't have been more than a second or two, but somehow his opponent had stabbed his left shoulder along with slashing his right ankle before C could even register what was happening. The man was attempting to immobilize him, and doing an outstanding job at this rate.

 _Think! Think!_

C jumped to his feet, putting distance between himself and the senbon. His opponent pulled more of the weapons from his pouch, flinging them in his direction. The man disappeared, and C leapt back from the senbon that had landed closest to him. That was when he felt it; the bearded man appeared in a flash next to the senbon before quickly flickering away.

 _Interesting,_ C thought, a smile growing on his lips as something clicked. He closed his eyes, stopping his retreat. A faint pulse of chakra ignited to his right, and C flung his arm out in its direction.

His arm connected with the bearded man's gut as he appeared above the senbon. The man let out a surprised gasp and flew back in a cloud of smoke. When it cleared, C recognized him as one of the Hokage's personal guards.

"I remember you now," C said sternly, gesturing to his mouth. "I should have known from the senbon."

Genma slowly rose to his feet as he eyed the man warily.

"How did you do that?" he said.

"I guess between the two of us, I'm just faster," C stated frankly. He plucked two kunai from his belt, readying his stance. Genma may have been able to move faster than the eye could follow, but the top sensor in Kumo doesn't need sight to track his opponent.

The boy's chakra signature — which had been still for the past minute — quickly started to move in his direction. C leapt away, and the boy's attempt to sweep his ankles only resulted in a cloud of dirt. The boy continued his assault, C's alarm rising when the young man brushed his injured ankle and a strong chakra signal pulsed through his skin.

The boy let out a soft 'tsk' of disappointment. Fūinjutsu wasn't common in Kumo, but C certainly recognized what getting hit with a chakra seal felt like. The boy was trying to put a seal on him, which meant C was going to have to keep his distance.

"Stay out of this, Sensei," Genma warned, once again putting himself in front of the boy.

"I think he can sense when your seal activates," the boy said. "The seal on the senbon emits a signature when you resonate with it."

Genma watched C gravely. "So I guess I'll just have to kick his ass the old-fashioned way."

"Or, use a seal where the signature is hidden," the boy said frankly. Genma and the boy exchanged a look, a grin growing on Genma's face.

"After you," Genma said.

The boy rushed at C, coming in low. Genma was fast on his heels, and the two assaulted C in a flurry of kicks and jabs. C could tell where they were at all times, so blocking them took little more effort than what he was used to in regular sparring. In turn, his opponents didn't appear to be having any more trouble than he was. It was clear that they were waiting for some kind of opening, but so was C.

The boy suddenly backed off, pulling a scroll from a side pouch. He unrolled it, slamming the paper between his palm and the red earth.

C felt something shift beneath him and a large mud wall erupted at his back, cutting off his chance of retreat. Genma wasted no time littering the wall with senbon, and he appeared in a flicker above C as he descended with a kunai. C's stare locked with Genma's, spotting his opportunity for a counterattack.

"Flash Pillar!"

C's body was encased in a blinding flash of light. He sensed Genma's chakra disappear from above him, but the boy didn't seem to react fast enough to not be caught in his genjutsu.

 _One out of two isn't bad._

As the light faded, the boy's eyes were cloudy, and he stared ahead with his mouth slightly open. C stepped forward to roughly grab his hair in one hand while holding a kunai to his throat with the other. He turned his head toward where Genma was crouched atop the wall; it seemed that he had used the barrier as a tool to escape the genjutsu's range in time.

"I have a feeling you know how this works," C stated bluntly. "Give up, or I kill him."

The boy was suddenly consumed in a cloud of smoke. C still had a firm grip on his hair, so he knew that the boy hadn't moved. He eyed the figure curiously as he caught a glimpse of purple locks between his fingers.

Cursing himself for getting distracted, C's eyes snapped back to where Genma had been, but the Konoha shinobi was gone. His senses flared, but the signal heralding Genma's reappearance didn't come.

 _Shit. Where_ _—?_

An object struck C hard across the face, sending him flying. He caught a glimpse of something blue and green where he had once been. Genma had one hand on the boy's back, his legs cutting through the air from the kick that had sent C airborne.

 _He could teleport … to the boy?_

C hit the ground hard, tumbling through the dirt. He came to a stop, but his head was still spinning. The loud ringing in his ear indicated that Genma had hit him hard enough to rupture his eardrum. C scrambled to his feet as he fought back the vertigo. He watched Genma put his hand on the boy's shoulder, releasing the genjutsu — but the boy no longer looked like a boy. In fact, they looked very familiar.

 _The Hokage's wife?!_

Yuiko blinked a few times as her vision came back into focus.

 _That's why her signature was unfamiliar,_ C thought. _She must have a stronger one when she's using a transformation. Otherwise, it's undetectable._

"I'm a little disappointed, Sensei," Genma said, taking his hand off Yuiko's shoulder. A frustrated look fell across Yuiko's face, although it didn't seem to be directed at Genma.

"I wanted to go _down,_ " Yuiko said, gaining her bearings. "But then I stopped when I thought he might recognize the jutsu."

"It's alright," Genma said, turning toward C with a smirk. "You still helped me get him pretty good."

Genma started stalking toward C, reaching for a kunai. "I have a feeling you know how this works," he said coyly.

C raised his arms in defense, fighting the urge to topple over as he tried to correct for his sudden loss of balance.

"We're not going to kill you," Genma continued. "Just hit you till you stop moving."

A bright light flashed overhead. Genma and Yuiko covered their eyes reflexively, under the impression that C was using his Flash Pillar again. But as the light faded, the pair saw that C was staring upward.

They followed his gaze, watching as the sky was filled with innumerable blinding explosions. Genma watched in disbelief, the kunai in his hand clattering to the dirt. Yuiko fell to her knees, clutching her shaking hands to her chest. Her eyes burned from the light of the explosions, but she couldn't look away.

"Na- Naru-"

Yuiko took a deep breath, her features twisting in pain. She finally closed her eyes as she let out a heart-wrenching wail.


	105. Chapter 105

"Yuiko … Yuiko!"

Yuiko lifted her gaze from the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks. Genma was roughly shaking her by the shoulder as he stared at her with wide eyes. "The Moon is still there!"

Yuiko's head snapped up. Like Genma said, the Moon was right where it had been.

 _But then … what was ...?_

"You said that cannon has two settings, right?" Genma said, getting to his feet. "One that blows stuff up, and one that teleports things to another dimension. I think Kumo just used the first one to blow up the asteroids; I don't see that ring in the sky anymore."

Hope bloomed in Yuiko's chest. Genma's statement was affirmed as she noted the lack of unfamiliar objects floating in the sky. She frantically scrambled to her feet.

"We need to go. Now," Yuiko said. She glanced at C, who was scowling back at them.

"It's going to be more chakra," Yuiko continued, "but if you use your teleportation, I don't think he can catch up even if he uses that lightning jutsu from before."

Yuiko flashed through a few signs, and her disguise returned in a cloud of smoke.

"Sounds good," Genma said, reaching into his jacket for two senbon. The weapons flew out of his hand in a flicker.

"You won't get far," C said, a pink smudge adorning his jaw from the where he wiped the blood trickling from his ear. "The Rai–"

The rest of C's statement cut off as Genma firmly gripped Yuiko's shoulder and the two of them were gone in an instant.

The teleporting sensation reminded Yuiko a little of the Body Flicker technique, but Genma was able to use the Flying Raijin Jutsu in a rapid succession that was near impossible with the Body Flicker. His fluid routine of alternating between catching and throwing two senbon also helped to mitigate the time lost from having to toss a senbon between leaps. It would be easy enough for someone to outpace him over a short distance, but for longer distances there was only a handful of shinobi who could match his speed. Unfortunately, one of the few shinobi in the world capable of just that was coming right at them.

–

 _There!_

Relief washed over Yuiko. A large, metallic object loomed over the horizon as they approached. The only thing it could possibly be was the cannon; they would be close enough for Genma to halt his teleportation within a few minutes, and then they'd be able to approach on foot to avoid suspicion. Yuiko could only hope they would make it in time.

Yuiko let out a yelp as Genma suddenly pushed her away from him. She barely had time to regard him out of the corner of her eye before he disappeared in a blue streak.

Yuiko skid to a halt and looked about in panic, but there was no sign of Genma anywhere. The rust-colored hills and the tip of the cannon were the only things she could see along the horizon. She wanted to call out, but she was so close to the cannon now that she didn't want to risk blowing her cover. Yuiko balled her hands into fists, looking about fearfully.

Her mind had just enough time to pick up a flash of blue when something hit her hard in the stomach. The air was violently pushed from her lungs, and her disguise dissipated. The force of the impact sent Yuiko flying, and she tumbled to the ground in a heap over 10 yards away.

Yuiko gasped, gripping her torso as pain radiated through her entire body. She was surprised to realize that the blow had been hard enough to cause her to temporarily black out. Her mind sluggishly started putting her surroundings back in order as she stared at the pair of feet approaching. She tried to push herself up, but could only make it up to her elbows before a jabbing pain in her stomach forced her to stop.

"That trash," a deep voice snarled. Yuiko raised her head and froze in place. The Raikage looked down at her in contempt, his lips pulled back in a snarl.

"He sent his own wife. Is there no low he won't sink to?"

Yuiko's fingers dug into the soil as her hands balled into fists.

"He didn't make me come here," she said quietly. Yuiko moved slowly, laboriously bringing herself to her feet. Despite her strenuous breathing, and the fact that it looked like she could hardly keep herself upright, the Raikage watched her with a level of apprehension.

"Please, Lord Raikage," Yuiko wheezed, fighting to catch her breath. "Please delay the cannon. Just give Naruto and the others time to escape."

The Raikage watched her sternly. "Is he here?" he asked. It took Yuiko a moment, but she realized who he meant.

"Yes, the Hokage is here," Yuiko said. "If you would like to speak to him —"

The Raikage was behind her in the blink of an eye. He pinned her to his chest with his arm over her collarbone. A blue light was once again covering his skin, leaving Yuiko unable to phase.

"If this is what I have to do to make him stand down, then so be it," the Raikage said firmly. "I do not wish to harm you any further, Lady Yuiko. I hope that for your sake your husband is able to see reason."

Yuiko flailed in his grasp. Her strength was above average for a shinobi, but she might as well have been a kitten to the Raikage. Even her chakra seals seemed to fizzle out of existence from the lightning jutsu running underneath his skin. Yuiko only had one jutsu left that she thought might work, but it would dash her ability to reach the cannon, especially in her current state. She had no clue where Genma was, and it was a gamble whether Kakashi or Chōjūrō would arrive in time.

The Raikage turned and began to stride in the direction Yuiko and Genma had come from. He didn't even have to drag her since their height difference left her feet dangling off the ground. Yuiko decided to take a gamble and see if Naruto's ability to talk nearly anyone over to his side happened to be something that ran through their clan.

"Lord Raikage," she pleaded. "Please, we're only trying to save our comrades. We don't want to hurt anyone."

The Raikage didn't answer. Yuiko grit her teeth, feebly trying to pry away his arm.

"Do not make this harder than it already is," the Raikage stated. Yuiko turner her head, hoping she could catch his gaze.

"Naruto has done so much for you! For everyone!" she shouted. "Just give him time!"

The Raikage continued to look ahead. Yuiko stared at him, racking her brain for another argument he might find convincing.

"If you think this decision was easy," the Raikage said suddenly, causing Yuiko to flinch, "you're mistaken."

Yuiko's lip quivered. "That doesn't ... that doesn't make it alright!" she said. "You can't —"

Yuiko gagged. She was hit with a negative force so strong she felt like she was hyperventilating. She thought at first that it was the Raikage's doing, but she noticed that the man had stopped in his tracks. Yuiko struggled to control herself and figure out what was going on.

 _This,_ she thought between shallow breaths. _This is killing intent. But where …?_

"Put her down."

The voice was soft, and yet somehow easily cut through the sound of her labored breathing. She raised her eyes and stared in astonishment.

Kakashi stood a few yards away, staring intently at the Raikage. Yuiko had never seen Kakashi look at anyone like that before. If Kakashi had still had his sharingan, Yuiko surmised that the Raikage would no longer have a head.

The Raikage shifted uncomfortably. The killing intent wasn't affecting him nearly as much as Yuiko, but it wasn't ineffective.

"I do not wish to kill you, Lord Hokage," The Raikage said slowly. "You are a great man; your actions both during and after the war have earned you my admiration. And because of my admiration for you, I will not say this lightly: You are no match for me, Kakashi Hatake. If you choose to challenge me here, it will be the last choice you make."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "Put her down," he repeated.

Yuiko could feel the reverberation of the Raikage's growl deep in his chest. She winced as his grip grew tighter. Kakashi flinched.

"Do not make me do this, Kakashi," the Raikage said. There was sincerity to his voice that prompted Yuiko to raise her eyes. The man looked at Kakashi with grim determination, but pain flashed behind his gaze. "I do not want to hurt her. Do not make me do something we will both regret."

The killing intent vanished like a flame suddenly being snuffed out. Kakashi's body language changed entirely as he now regarded Yuiko with an anxious expression.

 _No!_ Yuiko thought. _He's going to give up._ _He can't …_

Yuiko grit her teeth, wishing she had more than one option left. This was going to be unpleasant.

Yuiko raised her hands to grip the arm pinning her to the Raikage's chest. Finding a flaw in the lightning barrier was strenuous, and panic rose in her chest as she realized that there may not be one. The man who held her prisoner wasn't a Kage for nothing. But the size opening Yuiko required only needed to be large enough for her to push a fraction of her chakra through. All she needed was to make a connection.

 _There!_

Yuiko put all of her focus on the minuscule flaw, pushing until she broke through. She cried out, her chakra flooding the Raikage's system as she worked to take it over.

The Raikage fell to his knees with a gasp, his barrier dissipating. He tried to fling her away, but found that Yuiko was stuck to his chest and arm. She was a part of him now, in a way, so flinging her off would be akin to ripping off an appendage (although the Raikage wasn't above such things, if the situation called for it).

Yuiko cried out in pain as the Raikage let out a hiss. She was starting the process of tearing the chakra network in his legs apart, which would be more than sufficient to immobilize him. On the other hand, this meant she would also be tearing her own coils apart. She had never used this technique on a person before, and she had a feeling that her opponent wasn't going to be taken down as easily as Black Zetsu. Black Zetsu's chakra system had been simpler; Yuiko had been able to tear its chakra network apart before causing herself irreversible damage. With the Raikage, whose system was just as complex as her own, she wouldn't be so lucky.

"Yuiko!"

Yuiko raised her eyes to meet Kakashi's. He was hovering only a few feet away now, trying to decipher what was happening.

"This is me," Yuiko choked out. "I'll hold him. Stop the cannon!"

Kakashi's eyes widened at the realization. "Yuiko, stop," he said urgently. "You could hurt yourself worse than no longer being able to use chakra."

"I don't think … we have a lot of options," Yuiko choked through the strain. "This really hurts, so please hurry up!"

Kakashi waffled for a moment, his eyes drifting over her legs before locking with her gaze. He gave her a reluctant nod before finally darting out of sight. Yuiko would have sighed in relief if she hadn't been so preoccupied by the still present crushing sensation around her middle and the new burning sensation consuming her legs. She let out a yelp as she suddenly found herself rising from the ground.

"I won't let you ... seal our fate," the Raikage grunted as he rose. "This is bigger ... than just Konoha!"

The Raikage turned to follow Kakashi, running as fast as he could without chakra enhancement. It was nowhere near Kakashi's speed, and the Hokage was already out of sight as they swayed back and forth.

"S-stop!" Yuiko shouted. "We just need —"

The Raikage stumbled, his legs twitching. His muscles were still in perfect working order, but when one uses them in conjunction with chakra for so long, it becomes difficult to control their basic motor functions without. Yuiko was thankfully able to jerk her own legs out of the way as he stumbled to keep them from being crushed beneath his weight.

The Raikage let out a determined grunt as he pushed himself back to his feet and continued at a jog. The top of the cannon was now in view, with the remainder hidden within a wide valley. The Raikage reached the edge, looking down into a state of pure pandemonium.

Kakashi was fighting, well, everyone. A sea of white kumo jackets fell upon him as he pushed back his opponents in flashes of purple lightning. A few of the shinobi who had been hooked up to the cannon via headsets had removed their devices to join the fray. It didn't seem to matter, though, as Kakashi plowed through them as if they were nothing. Sending stronger shinobi like Darui and C away from the cannon had been a mistake on the Raikage's part.

Yuiko's eyes widened as she watched Kakashi close the distance between himself and the cannon. He was only a few yards away now, and there was no way the Raikage could catch up in his current state.

 _Go, Kakashi! You're almost there!_

A red light atop the cannon suddenly switched to green and Yuiko felt the Raikage tense. He took a deep breath, pining her tighter against his chest. A sudden realization hit Yuiko.

 _No, no, no, no!_

Yuiko tried to expand the process of tearing the Raikage's chakra network apart to his lungs, working the burning sensation up her body. His breath caught, but only for a second. The Raikage leaned forward, his voice echoing over the valley.

"FIRE!"


	106. Chapter 106

The Raikage's command to fire resonated through the valley. Kakashi was still over 20 feet away from the cannon, with dozens of shinobi blocking his path. Yuiko watched in despair as a series of lights lit up along the cannon's shaft. A bright light shone within its barrel.

"Please!" Yuiko shouted desperately. "Please wait! Don't kill them! Please!"

The Raikage didn't respond; his attention was fixated on the weapon. A humming sound filled the air as a low vibration radiated through the ground.

"STOP!" Yuiko shouted, squeezing her eyes closed.

Her ears were filled with an earth-shaking boom. Yuiko let out a small whimper as she warily opened her eyes.

A large tentacle was now lying where the cannon had been.

Yuiko blinked in shock. With her concentration broken, she slid out of the Raikage's grip, crumpling to the ground before him. The Raikage stood frozen as he regarded the debris sticking out from underneath the tentacle.

"Hey, yo!" A voice boomed. "You fools must be psycho if you think I'm gonna let you shoot Naruto!"

Yuiko's eyes rose to regard the rest of the Eight-Tails. The Tailed Beast held over a half dozen shinobi in its grip. Kakashi was among them, looking flabbergasted as he regarded the creature.

"He …" The Raikage said, his voice trailing off. "He killed us all. My brother … B killed us all."

The Eight-Tails placed the group of confused shinobi in its hold among the wreckage.

Kakashi shot the beast a final look of bewilderment before dashing back across the valley with far less resistance than he had faced before. Most of the Kumo shinobi around him that were still standing were busy either staring at B or up at the Moon with slack-jawed expressions.

Kakashi eyed the Raikage warily as he approached, but the man ignored his presence as he continued to stare at the Eight-Tails.

"Up you go," Kakashi said gently, holding his hand out to Yuiko. He hoisted her up, and she leaned against him as her legs twitched under her weight. The two of them stared up at the Moon, which was now close enough to noticeably grow larger by the second.

"Are the others OK?" Yuiko asked, still working her way through the 'denial' phase of what might be their impending doom now that "Plan B" was nothing more than a pile of scraps.

"Chōjūrō took over the fight with Darui so I could catch up," Kakashi said, matching her emotionless tone. "I saw Genma right before finding you. He was out cold, but alive."

"That's good," Yuiko said.

Kakashi nodded in agreement. The two didn't acknowledge the Raikage as he joined them.

"I hope you're happy, Kakashi," the man spat. "This is the result of gambling with everyone's lives."

Kakashi sighed. "To be fair," he said, "Lord B was not affiliated with our operation. He did that all on his own. And no, I can't say I'm very happy about this turn of events."

The Raikage huffed. Silence fell over their group as they stared up at the sky. Kakashi's hold on Yuiko intensified as he held her close.

"Well, at least the afterlife isn't terrible," he said. "I can say that from experience."

Yuiko shrugged. "Their tea was OK."

Kakashi let out a rather forced sounding chuckle. His laughter died away as the Moon threatened to swallow up the entire sky.

" _Hey, Yuiko!"_

"Naruto?!" Yuiko yelped. Kakashi and the Raikage looked at her in alarm.

" _We did it!"_ Naruto shouted within her mind. _"We beat Toneri! The Moon's not gonna crash down anymore! Great, right?"_

Yuiko's legs gave out.

"What?" Kakashi shouted as he fought to keep her from dropping to the ground. "What is it?"

Yuiko smiled at him as her eyes brimmed with tears. A hopeful expression dawned on Kakashi's face.

"Lord Raikage!" he said, snapping his head up. The Raikage recoiled slightly from the unexpected outburst.

"The clock!" Kakashi exclaimed. The Raikage blinked. He lifted his hand, putting his palm face-up. A clock identical to Kakashi's glowed at its center. It appeared that the clock had stopped.

"The Moon," the Raikage said, staring at his palm. "It … it stopped moving."

Yuiko stood up a little straighter as she composed herself. She smiled at Kakashi when a sudden thought hit her. "Um, here," she said, trying to funnel some of her chakra into him. Kakashi looked at her curiously.

" _Naruto?"_ Yuiko thought. Kakashi blinked in surprise.

" _Yeah?"_ Naruto responded. _"You got real quiet for a sec. Is everyone OK?"_

"We're fine,"Kakashi responded gently.

" _Oh, hey Kakashi-Sensei!"_ Naruto chirped. _"Things were pretty crazy up here! We're coming home real soon. You guys are seriously not gonna believe all the weird stuff that happened."_

"I'm sure it was very exciting," Kakashi said aloud. "Why don't you fill us in?"

Kakashi's gaze drifted over to the Raikage. "Would you also like to hear Naruto's report, Lord Raikage?"

The Raikage looked back at them warily. The urge to storm off in a rage was overpowered by his burning desire to know what the hell caused this whole mess and how Naruto was able to stop it. There was also the impending declaration of war — but that, too, could wait for a moment.

Yuiko reached out to the Raikage, who justifiably recoiled from her touch. Yuiko smiled sheepishly. The Raikage sighed, staying still as she placed her hand on his side. He felt the much less intrusive flow of her chakra, and suddenly Naruto's voice filled his head.

"… _and then there were like, a bunch of these guys flyin' around on birds! But they were all puppets — both the guys AND the birds! So we made it to this Toneri guy's palace_ _—_ _oh, he's a good guy now, by the way_ _—_ _and then Hinata was like_ _—_ _"_

Naruto stopped.

" _What? Yeah, they both are. OK, just stand next to me."_

" _Sorry!"_ Naruto said. _"Sakura says she has somethin' important."_

" _Yuiko? Kakashi-Sensei?"_ Sakura's voice echoed.

"We're here," Kakashi said. "Is everyone alright?"

" _Oh, yes, we're all fine,"_ Sakura said excitedly. _"I just wanted to tell you guys something since we're not all about to die anymore!"_

There was a pause as Yuiko and Kakashi exchanged a confused look.

" _You're at six weeks!"_

Kakashi tensed. Yuiko's brows furrowed in confusion.

" _Who has six weeks?!"_ Naruto shouted. _"Sakura, is someone dying?! After all we just went through?!"_

" _YOU IDIOT!"_ Sakura roared. _"I said Yuiko's AT six weeks, not that she HAS six weeks!"_

" _Well, what the hell does that mean?!"_ Naruto shouted back.

" _It means they're going to have a baby, you moron!"_ Sakura countered.

There was beat of silence.

" _Wait, really?"_ Naruto said.

" _Yeah, really,"_ Sakura huffed. _"I got her results back right before we left. I almost told you then, Yuiko … but it was sort of bad timing, considering the situation and all. But now I don't have to keep it a secret anymore, which is great, because it's been really hard not to tell anyone. Anyways, congratulations! Yuiko, I'll schedule you for a checkup when I get back, alright? I can't wait to see you! Congratulations!"_

Naruto laughed. _"Oh man, this is great! I'm really happy for you guys! Anyway, I'd better get going, too. I'll see you when I get back!"_

Naruto's chakra pulled away. The three adults stood in silence as they stared up at the Moon. The Raikage suddenly took a step back, staring at Yuiko as if she had caught fire.

"You," he said, but stopped short. He clenched his fist, his brow furrowing. "When I struck you earlier —"

Kakashi's attention snapped to the Raikage. Panic rose in Yuiko's chest.

"It was here!" she blurted quickly, patting her diaphragm. "You hit me here. I might have a cracked rib, but other than that I think I'm OK."

The Raikage's features relaxed slightly as he regarded her, but he tensed again when his eyes moved to Kakashi, who was still regarding him with a furious expression.

The Raikage attempted to school his features back into his usual dour expression, although it was clear that he was having some trouble. "Konoha got lucky," he said harshly. "This doesn't mean …"

His voice trailed off when it was clear that Kakashi was having none of it. The Raikage let out a frustrated sigh as he ran his hand over his face.

"We'll talk about this later, Kakashi. I'll fetch a medical nin to give your wife a full checkup to make sure everything is alright."

The Raikage turned and lumbered away. Kakashi's livid expression disappeared in the blink of an eye as he regarded Yuiko with concern.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" he asked.

Yuiko nodded. "I think so," she said. She placed a hand over her abdomen, furrowing her brow in concentration. "Huh."

"What?" Kakashi said, his eyes wide.

"Nothing, I'm fine," Yuiko said, dropping her hand. "It's just a weird sensation, now that I'm focusing on it."

Kakashi sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Aren't you used to having … _something …_ inside you all the time?" he asked.

"It's different," Yuiko said mildly. "It has chakra like mine, but … _altered._ It's hard to explain." A smile grew on her lips as she regarded Kakashi. "The chakra flow is synced up exactly with my own, which is most likely why I didn't notice. That's probably also a good sign, I think."

Kakashi seemed relieved, although the color had yet to return to his face.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked.

"Ah," Kakashi nodded, but the terrified look on his face seemed to convey otherwise. He was looking more alarmed now than when he thought they were going to be crushed by the Moon.

"That explains your chakra drain on this trip," he said, as if trying to distract her from his reaction. Yuiko nodded.

"Kakashi," she said, studying him. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Ah," Kakashi said, his voice shaking. "I know we prepared for this, but …" He trailed off, looking away uncomfortably. "Can I really do this?"

Yuiko tilted her head to catch his gaze. "I think you can."

Kakashi's brows drooped. "Why? It's not like a have a track record for this sort of thing."

"You seem responsible," Yuiko said with a nod.

"That's a terrible answer."

Yuiko shrugged. Kakashi watched her steadily.

"Why are you so calm?" he asked, a hint of suspicion creeping in to his voice.

"I've done this before," Yuiko said mildly. She then pursed her lips in thought. "Well, sort of. I don't really know anything between the baby stage and the teenage stage, but the one that I did practice with has saved the world a bunch of times now, so I'm probably not terrible when it comes to raising a child."

Kakashi stared at her in disbelief. "I don't know if that's very comparable," he deadpanned.

Yuiko gave a half-hearted shrug. Kakashi sighed, running his hand through his hair. He stared off into nothing for a moment before Yuiko interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey."

"Hmm?" He said, turning his head. He looked down, noticing her thumbs-up.

"You're being challenged," Yuiko said, a serious expression on her face.

"Yuiko," Kakashi sighed, "I don't –"

"I'm winning right now, so you know," Yuiko continued. "I have to carry it around for almost a year, so that's a lot of points. After that I'll have to give birth, which will be even more points. You'll have to work hard to catch up."

Yuiko kept her determined glare as Kakashi watched her with a tired expression. His gaze slowly softened until his eyes finally turned up in a smile.

"Alright," Kakashi said, returning the thumbs-up with his free hand. "You're on."

Kakashi leaned over to touch his forehead to hers. He gazed into the sparkling sea of violet as a calming sensation washed over him. The smile faded from Yuiko's lips after a moment as she dropped her gaze in thought.

"Hey, Kakashi?"

"Hmm?"

"Could someone using Sage energy tell if I was pregnant?"

Kakashi regarded her curiously. His eyes crinkled in a smile when he caught up to her train of thought. "Ah," he said. "We'll make sure to pick up Kabuto on the way home."

Yuiko gave a curt nod as a weak smile touched her lips. Kakashi suddenly bent over and Yuiko scrambled to put her arms around his neck as he lifted her up into his arms.

"I think I can walk on my own if you don't want to carry me," Yuiko said as she adjusted herself into a more comfortable position. "I might be a little slow until my coils heal up, but it would be easier."

"I'd be carrying you back to Konoha either way," Kakashi said simply. Yuiko hit him with an exasperated expression.

"I'm not made of glass," she said. Kakashi chuckled.

"Let's tell Genma and Chōjūrō the good news," he said. "Oh, and also mention that the world is no longer ending."

.

* * *

.

The Raikage had sent them off with little more than a grumble. His rage seemed to have quelled significantly once the stress of impending doom was gone. And B's interference, as idiotic as it was, may have actually averted a war.

Both the Raikage and Kakashi were on the same side when it came to denouncing B for his rash behavior. And now that the Raikage was calm enough to actually listen, he was at the very least able to see the situation from the other nations' point of view. He had more or less made an executive decision that would affect everyone on the planet without thinking to consult any of the other leaders about it first. No matter how good he believed his intentions to be, it was still a breach of trust when it came to Kumo's alliance with the other hidden villages. The tension wasn't totally gone, but Kakashi could head home knowing that war wasn't on the horizon.

At the very least Kakashi was able to bring back this good news when he returned to the shelter. Tsunade nearly threw him through a wall the second he casually walked into the conference room. She calmed down a bit once it was explained that relations with Kumo weren't as strained as predicted, but her anger escalated onto a whole new level when Kakashi shared the news of Yuiko's pregnancy. Despite Kakashi's protest that he had no idea, Tsunade almost brought the roof down on them as she used her punches to drive home how irresponsible he was to drag his pregnant wife on a dangerous mission. Kakashi was, needless to say, quite relieved when Yuiko stepped in and effectively turned Tsunade into a doting mother hen so Kakashi could have a chance to escape.

–

It had been decided that since Kakashi was the last person to leave Konoha, that he should be the first one to re-enter. The Hokage slowed his run to a walk as he approached the great archway; the group of 50 or so people behind him did the same. He was returning with the barrier team, along with many of the shinobi who did clerical work in the Hokage Tower. They needed to hit the ground running when it came to bringing the village back to order, and giving his subordinates extra time to set things up before most of the citizens arrived seemed like the best idea.

Kakashi let out a relieved sigh at the sight of his home. From where he stood, it looked like everything was just as they left it. He chalked it up to luck … at first.

A figure leapt down from the archway, landing at Kakashi's feet in a crouch. Kakashi blinked in surprise as Sasuke straightened up to look his sensei in the eye.

"I don't know what _you_ were up to," Sasuke said dryly. "But I was here making sure our home didn't get blown to pieces."

Sasuke walked past Kakashi without another word. The members of the Hokage's entourage watched him go in confusion.

"Ah, all of my students are so precious," Kakashi chuckled.


	107. Chapter 107

"So, who are your friends?"

"Well, you know Yamato," Yuiko said, her hand gliding along the soft, white fur.

Kokuō hummed in acknowledgement. The beast was curled up in a large glade full of tall grass dotted with wildflowers. It had explained to Yuiko on their way there that the glade had been the closest place it could find to the shelter that provided enough room for lying down without flattening the surrounding forest. Kokuō had been resting there occasionally to recoup chakra while it was on guard duty with Matatabi. The glade seemed _just_ large enough to fit Kokuō's frame — and even so, some tree branches still found a way to uncomfortably pierce the beast's backside.

' _I do miss being small, sometimes,'_ Kokuō had joked.

"I'm pretty sure the others are Honoka and Michi, based on the masks they were wearing," Yuiko said.

"And the rest?"

Yuiko frowned and looked up at Kokuō from the spot where she sat on the beast's side. "The rest?"

"I sense at least three more," Kokuō said simply. Yuiko groaned, putting her face in her hands. The corners of Kokuō's maw titled up in a smile.

"The scarecrow seems protective of the field mouse," Kokuō joked. Yuiko lifted her face to show Kokuō an insulted expression. Kokuō couldn't help but be amused by the blush on Yuiko's cheeks.

"It's too much!" Yuiko said. "I told him I didn't even need a guard detail!"

As much as she'd tried, Yuiko had lost that battle. While Kakashi would be heading straight back to Konoha, Yuiko had decided to hang back to meet with Kokuō before heading home. Kakashi seemed hesitant; he admitted that it would make him feel better if she at least took some of the Anbu with her. Yuiko tried to argue that they were needed more elsewhere, but Kakashi put his foot down. The only thing that stopped her from making more of a fuss was that Yamato interjected to take her husband's side. Yuiko relented then, but at the very least she thought she had successfully haggled her guard detail down to three.

"They're both in trouble," Yuiko mumbled, hugging her knees to her chest. She felt the rumble of Kokuō holding back its laughter.

"It's not funny," Yuiko moped.

"Of course it isn't," Kokuō replied. Yuiko shot the beast a scathing glare. Kokuō lifted one of its tails and flopped it over Yuiko.

"Don't be rude," the beast said. Yuiko untangled herself from the fur, pushing it aside. The annoyed expression was still there, but she fought to collect herself.

"Are you nervous?" Kokuō asked.

"No," Yuiko replied shortly.

"Oh?" Kokuō said, tilting its head to put its large eye directly above her. "You should be."

Yuiko's head snapped up. Her scowl was reflected back in the beast's pupil. One of Kokuō's tails twitched, and Yuiko quickly fought to hide the expression.

"Everyone keeps saying that," Yuiko said with a sigh. "I'm seriously fine."

Kokuō hummed. "I'm having a hard time imagining you handling a gaggle of pups," it said.

Yuiko looked at the beast incredulously. "That's not how human pregnancies work, and you know it."

Kokuō lifted its head to gaze over the treetops. It momentarily admired the sea of leaves swaying in the wind before returning its attention to Yuiko. It was still getting used to addressing her in this way; Yuiko had literally been Kokuō's entire world for over three decades, the two of them being so codependent that they may as well have been one. It was difficult conversing with her in a fashion where Kokuō couldn't pick up on every emotion running through the woman's mind. It also stung when it felt that Yuiko wasn't being entirely truthful.

"You had some … trouble, when Naruto was young," Kokuō said.

Yuiko closed her eyes. "I was a kid too, you know. And I've learned a lot since then; not everything has to be perfect, and that's OK." Yuiko chuckled. "And bolting all the furniture to the walls isn't a terrible idea."

Kokuō nodded thoughtfully. "Don't push yourself too hard, little mouse. It's alright to ask for help."

"I know," Yuiko said softly. "I'm not going to do it alone this time. It won't just be Kakashi, either," Yuiko's eyes turned up in a smile. "Konoha is my family, and it's going to be my child's family, too."

Kokuō shifted its head slightly to rub its muzzle against Yuiko. Yuiko reached out to run her hand over Kokuō's snout.

"And don't think that doesn't include you, too," Yuiko said snidely. Her vision was obscured as a plume of steam billowed from Kokuō's nostrils.

"I hope you're not suggesting confining me again," it said.

"It would be an easy sell," Yuiko said. "Considering how protective Kakashi is now, I bet he would jump at the chance to have you watch over our kid 24/7."

"I'm not a mere watchdog," Kokuō snorted.

"Watch it," Yuiko said, waggling a finger. "I'm now obligated by contract to think very highly of dogs."

"Don't get smart with me, little mouse," Kokuō said, flattening Yuiko with another tail — or at least attempting to, as Yuiko phased through it.

"It's ' _Lady Yuiko'_ now, thanks," Yuiko said with a devilish grin.

"It's a testament to my own patience that I survived living inside you for so many years," Kokuō said with a huff. "I'm glad your pup must only do so for a few months."

"Ooh, I think somebody's jealous," Yuiko said, rising to her feet. "Afraid you're missing out on some prime real estate, hmm?"

"It's only temporary," Kokuō said, turning its head away dismissively. "I'll be back eventually."

Yuiko's expression softened. She watched Kokuō as it looked back to return her gaze. The smile on Yuiko's face widened.

"I'd like that," she said.

"Of course," Kokuō said curtly. "I don't know what you would do without me."

Yuiko laughed. "You're right; I can't seem to stay out of trouble."

"And you wonder why your husband worries about you," Kokuō said. It leaned down to nuzzle Yuiko again. "Give him my regards, will you? And my condolences; you're about to make his job much harder."

Yuiko's raised her brows as she patted her friend. "It wasn't just me, you know," she said. "It was a joint effort — those romance books we would read outlined that pretty clearly, I think."

Kokuō's eyes narrowed. "Don't be crass."

Yuiko shrugged. "I'm just letting you know what to expect, since you're thinking about coming back," she said innocently. "When a man and a woman love each other very much –"

"I don't want to hear it!" Kokuō barked, its voice echoing across the valley.

"Me neither."

Yuiko turned around. Yamato was standing a few feet behind her, his arms crossed. Yuiko's cheeks grew pink.

"Sorry to cut this … _educational …_ discussion short," Yamato said with a smirk, "but I think it's about time to go."

Yuiko quickly looked away in embarrassment. She picked up on the rumbling of Kokuō's body as it chuckled. A look of admonishment grew on her face as she raised her eyes to meet Kokuō's.

"Don't be rude," the beast said. Yuiko's expression transformed into a grin.

"I'll miss you," she said.

"You will be missed as well, little mouse," Kokuō replied. "Don't forget to call."

Yuiko nodded, grabbing as much fur into her embrace as she could. She fought back the tears forming at the edge of her vision as she held on tightly.

"Your pup is very lucky to have you," Kokuō said softly.

"I'll take your word for it," Yuiko said. She pulled herself away and wiped the corners of her eyes with her wrist. "I'll see you in about eight months."

"I'll keep my schedule clear," Kokuō said, the corners of its mouth rising once more. "Try to stay out of trouble until then."

"No promises," Yuiko said with a wink.

.

* * *

.

"Hinata."

"Yes, Naruto?"

"Back at the academy, when we were asked who we wanted to spend our last day on Earth with … I couldn't think of one name to write down. I didn't know my parents, and I didn't have any friends. But now, I know exactly who I'd choose. There's no doubt whatsoever — it's you. I want to stay with you. Forever and ever, until I die. I want to be with you, Hinata."

Hinata's pale lilac eyes brimmed with tears. "Oh, Naruto!"

Naruto smiled down at Hinata, the girl who was the most precious thing to him in the entire world. He didn't know yet that the extra time he took to go after her nearly destroyed the Earth. But if he was asked to take that same risk again, he would.

Naruto clasped Hinata's hands in his own as he brought his face closer to hers.

"Naruto," Hinata whispered as she closed her eyes. He shut his own, feeling her warm breath tickle his cheek as his lips brushed against hers.

" _Naruto!"_

Naruto's eyes snapped open. He raised his head to stare up into the sky.

"WHAT?!"

" _When are you guys getting back?"_ Yuiko's voice chimed pleasantly. _"I was thinking of making you all something when you get home – you know, like a celebration dinner! Are you feeling ramen, or —?"_

Naruto raised his hands, pulling at his hair in frustration. "Can't you see I'm busy?!"

Hinata was regarding Naruto as if he had lost his mind.

" _What? No, I can't see anything you're doing,"_ Yuiko replied. _"Although that's an interesting idea. If we work on fluctuating the amount of chakra we have going through the mental link, then maybe we can make it so we can actually see through each other's eyes. How exciting! Let's try it right now!"_

"NO!"


	108. Chapter 108

A/N: Here's a little bit of short time skip fluff. The new arc will be starting up in the next chapter. As always, thanks for the ongoing support! :D

* * *

"So, you really think this is necessary?" Kakashi asked, watching Yuiko work from where he leaned against the door frame.

His wife had swapped out her usual jumpsuit for a pair of black pants and a loose-fitting lavender shirt that swelled out slightly around her middle. She was taking more time off nowadays as her responsibilities on the barrier team shifted into an advisory role. The extra time left her able to start baby-proofing the house, although to a degree that Kakashi found somewhat excessive.

Yuiko plucked a nail from the small pile she had on the table and phased her hand through the side of the bookshelf. She withdrew her hand, a cracking sound cutting through the air as the nail became solidified between the wood. A quick tug on the side of the bookcase confirmed that she had effectively nailed it in place.

"Trust me," Yuiko said, picking up another nail, "this is an essential precaution. There's probably a scar on Naruto's scalp to prove it."

Yuiko paused to glance over at Kakashi. "Shouldn't you be at the tower?"

Kakashi shrugged. Yuiko went back to her work with a sigh. "Shizune's going to lecture you again," she said as her arm phased through the wood.

"Shikamaru is my head assistant now, actually," Kakashi said mildly. "He won't say anything, just look at me as if he's reevaluating his life choices."

"I feel like that's worse," Yuiko said, pulling back her arm. She placed her hands on both sides of the bookcase to give it a strong pull. A satisfied look grew on her face when it stayed firmly in place.

"This looks like a good time for a break," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile. "How about I make you lunch?"

Yuiko pursed her lips. "Kakashi …"

"I'll go back to the tower afterwards, I promise," he said. Kakashi pushed himself from the door frame, disappearing from sight. Yuiko exhaled sharply in resignation as she reached for another nail. After a few minutes of work, the bookcase was secured to her satisfaction and she stepped into the dining room. Kakashi was already at work in the kitchen, and Yuiko's brow furrowed as she scanned the countertops.

"What are you making?" she asked.

"Pork cutlet bowls," Kakashi replied.

"Kakashi!" Yuiko snapped. Kakashi turned to give her an innocent expression.

"I'm going to cook the eggs all the way through, if that's what you're worried about" he said.

"It isn't that," Yuiko said. "We don't need something so elaborate."

Kakashi smiled sweetly. "Is there something wrong with me wanting to spoil my beautiful wife?"

"No," Yuiko said, crossing her arms, "but there's something wrong with you wasting time to avoid going back to work."

"How ridiculous. I would never consider spending time with you a waste," Kakashi said, turning back to slicing onions. He started humming a tune to himself as Yuiko watched him in disbelief.

"That … that's not …"

Yuiko dipped her head, knowing that she was fighting a losing battle. She made her way to the dining room table and sat down heavily, resting her head in her hand. Through half-closed lids she watched Kakashi as he moved over to the stove, placing the pork cutlets in a hot pan.

"You mentioning Naruto earlier made me think of something," he said.

"Hmm?"

"Where do you think we'd be now if you never left?" Kakashi asked. Yuiko raised her brow.

"You mean if I never left Konoha?" she said.

"Ah."

"What makes you ask that?" Yuiko said, watching him closely. Kakashi shrugged.

"Nothing in particular," he said, turning over one of the cutlets. "I was just curious if you ever considered it."

Yuiko raised her arms, stretching them above her head. "I used to think about it more often after first coming back, I guess," she said. "That was mainly because I felt guilty about Naruto, though."

She glanced out the window, watching the nearly barren branches of the oak trees out front sway in the wind. "I think if I had stayed, Naruto would have done better at the academy. He'd probably also be a few inches taller, since I would have forced him to eat something other than ramen."

Kakashi chuckled. "Maybe eating all that ramen is what made him the man he is today?"

"I hope there's more to it than that," Yuiko said, her brows drooping. "If science discovers that ramen is the source of all greatness, we'll never hear the end of it."

Kakashi removed the pork cutlets from the pan. He tossed in the onions, flipping them in the skillet with a flick of his wrist.

"So we'd have a slightly taller, and possibly not as astounding Naruto," he said. "What else?"

"Uh …" Yuiko pursed her lips in thought. "Let's see. He would have gone to the academy, and I would have kept going on missions. Oh, I probably wouldn't have been in Anbu. And then I guess …"

Yuiko's voice trailed off as she looked down at the table, her features softening.

"I would have taken in Sasuke, I think."

Kakashi turned to regard her. Yuiko didn't meet his gaze as she continued to stare at the table.

"Because of Mikoto?" he asked. Yuiko nodded.

"She was probably only doing it for Kushina's sake, but her support meant everything," Yuiko said softly. "I can't imagine how hard it was for her, constantly checking up on me at the place where Kushina used to live."

The pair fell silent. Yuiko took a deep breath, focusing on the sound of Kakashi's knife against the cutting board.

"You would have had your hands full," Kakashi finally said. "Naruto and Sasuke had trouble getting along with each other – to put it lightly; I couldn't imagine them living under the same roof."

Yuiko exhaled sharply, sitting up to cross her arms. "I would have figured it out," she said. "My social life would probably be dead from all the time I'd have to spend corralling those two. But considering how those years _actually_ went, it would still be an improvement."

Kakashi nodded absently as he finished putting together the cutlet bowls. He had them in hand as he exited the kitchen, placing one in front of Yuiko and another across from her at the table. Yuiko handed him a pair of chopsticks as he sat.

"So in between handling two unruly boys," Kakashi said, pulling down his mask, "where would that put me?"

Yuiko shrugged as she picked up a piece of meat. "Depends. I'd see you often if we were still on the same team. If not, probably not at all."

Kakashi's brow drooped. "That's cold."

"I wouldn't have time for you!" Yuiko said, pointing at him with her chopsticks. "And it's not like you'd show up at my door one day with a love confession or anything. It took me _dying_ for you to admit it the last time."

Kakashi looked away in thought. "Ah, that's probably true."

He glanced back to Yuiko, watching her as she scooped up some rice. He put down his chopsticks, leaning his head into his hand.

"So, there would be no special someone in young Yuiko Uzumaki's life, hmm?"

Yuiko's hand froze halfway to her mouth. Her senses tingled as she picked up some sort of trap. It wasn't one she was planning on falling in to, though.

"No," she said curtly, bringing the rice to her mouth. "No one."

"Really?" Kakashi asked, adjusting his mask up. "Out of all the eligible bachelors Konoha had to offer, there was no one who caught your fancy?"

A blush was growing on Yuiko's cheeks, and she pointedly avoided looking at Kakashi as she shoveled food into her mouth.

"This is just a hypothetical situation, you know," Kakashi said, waving his hand. "It's not like I'm going to have anyone assassinated."

Yuiko's pace slowed, and she dared to meet Kakashi's gaze.

"Just banished from Konoha."

Yuiko huffed, looking away. The corners of Kakashi's eyes crinkled in a smile as he watched her eat.

"Let's see," he said. "The most logical guess would have to be Tenzō."

Yuiko's eyes immediately snapped to his. She stared at him in shock, her mouth agape.

"Ah, not Tenzō," Kakashi nodded. "Who else? Aoba and Genma are too exuberant – that also would have disqualified Guy. If Asuma hadn't already been involved with Kurenai, you two may have hit it off. Although I think the smoking would have driven you crazy."

"This isn't funny!" Yuiko said, scowling at him. "Why are you making fun of me?"

"Oh?" Kakashi said, raising his brow. "That wasn't my intention. I was just curious."

Yuiko's mouth stretched into a thin line. Her cheeks grew pink as she met Kakashi's impartial stare.

"I'll tell you, but you can't make fun of me," Yuiko said.

"Cross my heart," Kakashi said, drawing his finger over his chest. Yuiko put down her bowl, fidgeting in her seat.

"Even if I stayed," she said quickly. "It probably wouldn't have happened anyway. He never seemed interested. And it's not like I was looking for _that,_ either, when I used to see him more often."

"Do tell," Kakashi said, leaning forward in his seat. Yuiko averted her gaze, staring at her feet. She groaned, closing her eyes.

"Iruka."

Kakashi blinked in surprise. His eyes turned up in a smile as he chuckled. "Ah, that makes sense."

Yuiko raised her head, watching him suspiciously.

"Iruka is a very kind-hearted person, I could imagine you being drawn to that," he said. Yuiko's features relaxed slightly.

"He's also one of the best teachers our academy has to offer," Kakashi continued. "It's a pity that I now have to relocate him to another country."

Yuiko scowled at Kakashi as his eyes turned up in a smile. She shook her head.

"Like I said, it's not like it would have happened," she said. "He would have been Naruto's teacher, and I couldn't see him even if I wanted to, in that regard."

Kakashi put his chin in his hand, looking up at the ceiling. "Ah, forbidden love. At the center of our story we have the beautiful, overworked damsel trying to raise a child on her own. Her eye is caught by the soft-spoken teacher who doesn't hesitate to show her the kindness she deserves. And yet, the needs of the child comes between them, and she must sacrifice her own happiness to meet those needs."

Kakashi looked back at Yuiko with a serious expression. She was making a face that clearly suggested she thought he was an idiot.

"But wait!" Kakashi continued, lifting a finger. "A challenger for Yuiko's affection appears – the childhood friend who'd pined over her for years sees that dear Yuiko's heart may be stolen away and finally decides to make a declaration of love of his own! He spends hours writing his confession, and finally works up the courage to recite it to her."

Yuiko rose from the table, collecting her dishes. Kakashi stood so he could face her as she walked past him into the kitchen.

"But what the third member of this love triangle neglected to pay attention to was that day's weather report. He arrives at Yuiko's doorstep, drenched through to his jumpsuit, and his mind goes entirely blank as he stares back at her amid the pouring rain."

Yuiko placed her dishes in the sink. She reached into one of the cabinets for a glass and filled it up with water before exiting the kitchen. She took a sip, watching Kakashi with a tired expression.

"The young man looks down in anguish at the splatters of ink that once made up his confession," Kakashi continued, ignoring Yuiko's flat stare. "He has nothing left of his prepared speech, and all he can do now is say what's in his heart."

Kakashi stepped forward, putting himself before Yuiko. He placed his hand beneath her chin, lifting it up to hold her gaze.

"And so he told her how he really felt," Kakashi said softly, bringing his face closer to hers. "He told her: 'I needed to get back to work, and I will love you forever if you do the dishes.'"

Yuiko batted away his hand. "I was going to do that anyway."

Kakashi cupped her cheek in his hand, bringing his forehead to hers. A blush crept up Yuiko's cheeks.

"Good," Kakashi said, "because I was going to love you forever anyway, whether you did them or not."

Yuiko let out a barking laugh. She reached out to place her water down at the table before pulling Kakashi into a hug. He exhaled sharply as the air was squeezed from his lungs.

"You're so cheesy," she said, her face buried in his jacket. Kakashi chuckled, stroking her hair.

"A byproduct of reading those romance books, sadly," he said.

"I don't mind," Yuiko said, looking up at him. "Except when you're making fun of me."

"I wasn't making fun," Kakashi said, his brow furrowing. "You told me before that I should think about writing my own novel. That would make an interesting story, don't you think?"

Yuiko's eyes widened in shock. "You can't write a story about _me_!"

"It wouldn't be about you," Kakashi said. "The main character's name would be Yukiko, for one."

Something dark flashed behind Yuiko's eyes.

"Get out."

"Have a wonderful day," Kakashi said, quickly taking a step back. "I'll try to pop in later this evening, although I might not be able to stay for dinner."

Kakashi disappeared in a flicker. Yuiko glared at the spot he had been for a moment before shifting her attention to his barely-touched lunch. She hummed, picking up the bowl.

"That's right, I'm the only one who likes pork," she said. A reluctant smile grew on her face. "You just made extra for me."

Yuiko sighed, looking out the window. She watched a pile of leaves dance about in the wind as she mulled over her thoughts.

"The damsel raised her head, squinting her eyes against the pouring rain," Yuiko said softly. "She met the gaze of her childhood friend – the one who had been by her side for as long as she could remember. She clasped his hands, despite his protest that he needed to try to make out what was left of his declaration of love."

Yuiko looked back to the bowl in her hands as her smile widened. "'It doesn't matter,' the damsel replied. 'I was going to love you forever anyway, no matter what you said.'"

* * *

A/N: Kakashi always liked messing with people, and poor Yuiko is no exception. haha


	109. Chapter 109

The image came slowly into focus, the edges of a cloud against a bright blue sky growing more defined. The scene suddenly blurred in a flash of colors before settling on a white-and-tan blob. Kakashi's shape slowly clarified as the camera zoomed out. He was wearing his full Hokage attire as he stood atop the office's rooftop.

"Ready, Lord Hokage!" Konohamaru chirped.

"Please, drop the 'Lord' part," Kakashi said, embarrassed. He lifted his fist before his mouth and cleared his throat.

"Naruto, Hinata," he said, his eyes focused on the camera, "Congratulations on your marriage. The two of you are fine shinobi and wonderful people. I wish you all the happiness in your future."

The camera quickly panned to the right, jolting to a stop on Yuiko's face. She blushed.

"N-Naruto …" she said, her voice wavering, "... and Hinata. The two of you getting married … I can't believe it!"

Her eyes widened. "Oh no, I didn't mean that!" she said, waving her hands about. "Not in a bad way! I'm so happy for you, Naruto! You found someone so nice like Hinata — I was so surprised!"

She slapped her hands over her mouth. "No, wait!" she said, "I don't mean I didn't think you could find someone nice — I meant I was surprised in a good way!"

Kakashi put his hand on her shoulder and leaned into the frame. "I think she means 'congratulations,' you two," he said, his eyes upturned in a smile. Yuiko chuckled bashfully.

The picture went dark, and Konohamaru lowered the camera. "That was … good, I guess," he said, forcing a smile.

"Would you mind grabbing that stool, Konohamaru?" Kakashi asked, pointing next to the boy. "I think my wife needs to rest a bit as she composes herself."

"Huh?" Yuiko said, raising her eyebrows. "I was a little nervous, but I'm fine. I don't need to —"

Kakashi gently put pressure on her shoulder, urging her to sit as Konohamaru scrambled to put the stool behind her. Yuiko frowned, her hand resting on her swollen belly as she lowered herself down.

"Is there anything else you need, Lord Hokage?" Konohamaru asked solemnly.

"No 'Lord,' please. Could you just ask Sai to come up on your way out?" Kakashi asked.

Konohamaru nodded curtly and jogged toward the door to the stairwell, his long blue scarf flowing out behind him like a cape.

"Am I allowed to stand up now?" Yuiko asked snidely.

"I'm just being cautious," Kakashi said, taking her hand as she stood.

"I keep telling you that I'm fine," she said, smoothing her light blue dress. "It's inconvenient, but nothing I can't handle."

"Remember, the doctor told you to take it easy during the final few weeks," he said, holding up a finger.

"He did, but your definition of 'taking it easy' is a lot different from anyone else's," Yuiko said.

The creak of the stairwell door heralded Sai's arrival. He waved at them with a gentle smile on his face.

"Ah, my new parole officer," Yuiko said with a smirk.

"Only for the next few weeks," Kakashi said as the two of them walked toward Sai. "Just in case anything happens."

"You worry too much," she said. "But it's kind of endearing."

"I'm glad you think so."

Kakashi turned to regard Sai as they reached the stairs. "Makes sure she gets home alright. And don't let her stop at the sweets shop — I'll go broke."

Yuiko frowned, and Sai smiled uncertainly as he tried to decipher the joke. "Uh — of course, Lord Hokage," he said.

"You don't have to say —" Kakashi began, and then sighed. "Never mind."

He turned to Yuiko, putting his hand on the back of her head as he touched his forehead to hers. "I might be back late tonight. Figuring out how to schedule everyone around this upcoming wedding is becoming a bigger challenge than I thought."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Yuiko replied sweetly. "One challenge at a time, remember?"

"Ah," he said, nodding in agreement. "I'll see you tonight."

.

* * *

.

Kakashi sighed, sitting down heavily at his desk. He reached up to remove the sizable Hokage hat. He had just made his big announcement – which may have just been an even bigger mistake – but things were now in motion, and he had no choice but to go with the flow.

He looked up as he heard voices in the hall. Shikamaru opened the door suddenly, wearing an anxious expression, followed by Yuiko, whose eyes were upturned in a sweet smile.

"Uh, your wife is here to see you," Shikamaru said, quickly closing the door behind her.

Kakashi exhaled and put his hands on his desk as he stood. "Is this about the mission I just gave everyone?"

"It is," Yuiko said, her voice light.

"I'm afraid I'm going to go down as the worst Hokage in history," Kakashi said.

"You might."

There was a slight waver to her voice.

"I know it isn't ideal," Kakashi said, putting his hands on his hips as he looked up at the ceiling. "But deciding who can and can't attend the wedding based on the quality of their gift wasn't really my idea, to be fair. It took a lot of contemplation, but I believe this is the only real solution. There's no other way to decide who can attend and who should be on guard duty otherwise."

He turned his head and noticed that Yuiko's forced cheerfulness was crumbling. "Remember what the doctor said about your stress," he warned.

"I'm not stressed!" Yuiko said, her smile wavering. "I'm just wondering why you would do such a thing, knowing how much trouble I've been having already with finding a gift for Naruto."

"Huh?" Kakashi said. "What are you talking about? Do you really think you're not going to be allowed to go?"

Yuiko's smile disappeared, her lips pursed.

"Of course you're going!" Kakashi said, almost laughing. "You're the wife of the Hokage; you have nothing to worry about."

"I don't want a special pass," she said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yuiko," Kakashi said, lowering himself back into his chair, "I already got him something. You don't have to worry."

Yuiko's hands dropped limply as her shoulders slumped. "You did?" she asked, her voice hardly above a whisper.

Kakashi frowned, confused by the disappointment etched across her face.

"Ah. I had an idea, and I thought it would make things easier to get it out of the way."

Kakashi opened one of his desk drawers, withdrawing a garment box. He removed the lid and rose to his feet as he lifted its contents. "It's a cloak," he said simply. The garment was a deep crimson color with a black flame pattern along the border.

"I heard he used to have one like it, so I thought maybe he'd like a new one."

Yuiko pursed her lips, fighting the tremble in her hands. "It's …" Her voice trailed off as she balled her hands into fists. "It's horrible."

Kakashi's brows drooped. "Really? I thought he would —"

"We can't give him that!" Yuiko shouted, squeezing her eyes shut. "Naruto's gift has to be perfect! We can't just give him some stupid, gaudy robe! He's an _adult!_ "

Kakashi took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Yuiko, your stress —"

He stopped himself as he regarded Yuiko's expression. He dropped his eyes and gingerly put the cloak back in the box before taking a seat. "How about we talk about this later. It's going to work out, I promise."

Yuiko looked down at him, her lip quivering. "I wish you would take this seriously."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed, regarding her steadily. "I take things seriously when they need to be. And I have more pressing matters on my plate right now than finding a present that will meet your standards."

Yuiko shot him a wounded look before making her way to the door. She left, slamming the door behind her. Kakashi stared after her, his heart sinking.

.

* * *

.

Shikamaru yawned and shifted the stack of folders he was carrying from one arm to the other as he walked down the hallway. As Naruto and Hinata's wedding drew near, he had taken it upon himself to handle as many of the non-critical tasks concerning the celebration as possible. He had hammered out the accommodations for the visiting Kage, and prevented all word of the ceremony from leaving the village as well as he could. Any foreign officials or dignitaries who had gotten wind of it had swiftly contacted the Hokage's office to confirm the news, which Shikamaru promptly rebuked as hearsay; despite the well wishes, the last thing Konoha needed was an influx of visitors unknown to the bride and groom themselves. The security aspect, which Kakashi had been handling, was taxing enough without the added uncertainty.

Shikamaru frowned as his thoughts landed on the Hokage. Kakashi had been lamenting over the security detail of the wedding, leading him to make the rash decision to judge guests by the quality of their gifts in order to decide who would be on duty during the ceremony. It was an ill-conceived plan, but Shikamaru could understand the Hokage's desperation for a solution. At the very least, he hoped that Kakashi would be able to get around to the mountain of other matters that he had been putting off for the past week.

Shikamaru opened the door to the Hokage's office, intending to place the stack of prioritized reports on the Hokage's desk before his arrival, as he did every morning. But he froze as he laid eyes on the desk.

Kakashi sat in his chair with his head resting in his hand. He seemed to be regarding him through half-closed eyelids, although he didn't react as Shikamaru entered the room.

"Uh, Kakashi?" Shikamaru said hesitantly as he approached.

Kakashi blinked, lifting his head.

"Oh, morning already?" he said, acting as if he had only just noticed his assistant's presence.

"Yeah," Shikamaru said, slowly handing him the stack of folders. "When did you get in this morning?"

"I never left," Kakashi said casually, opening up the first folder.

Shikamaru looked down at the Hokage uncomfortably. He had a good idea what this was all about, but was dreading getting involved. He sighed.

 _What a drag._

"Maybe you should go home … for a while," he said, forcing out the last bit. Asking Kakashi to do anything other than work was risky, considering that he was prone to disappearing for the entire day.

Kakashi closed the folder with a snap, keeping his attention focused on its plain cover.

Shikamaru tensed. His anxiety grew as Kakashi continued to stare at the folder, unmoving.

 _This is what I get for opening my mouth,_ Shikamaru thought.

"Shikamaru," Kakashi said solemnly, looking up at him.

Shikamaru stiffened, watching him intently.

"I'm assigning you a mission," Kakashi continued while reaching into a drawer. He stood as he raised his arms and dropped a thick stack of papers on his desk. Shikamaru regarded the daunting heap of paper, dreading his increased workload. And yet he was grateful that the Hokage seemed to have overlooked his remark concerning his personal affairs.

"Here," Kakashi said, sliding the stack toward Shikamaru with a serious expression. "Your assignment is to deliver this exposition of my love to Yuiko."

Not a lot of things caused Shikamaru's thoughts to still, but the sheer absurdity of Kakashi's statement momentarily caused his mind to grind to a halt. Shikamaru blinked, processing the request as he stared down at the paper.

"Th-this?!" he stammered, scanning the top page. He grimaced at the rows of crowded text.

 _How the hell does he fall so far behind on his duties, yet somehow find the time to practically write a novel overnight?!_

"Ah," Kakashi said, his hands on his hips. "I find that I'm better able to convey my thoughts in writing. Please deliver this to my radiant wife immediately."

Shikamaru studied him for a second, wondering if this was a joke. He couldn't believe that the Hokage was looking to rectify the situation with his wife by passing notes like a kid in class. But Kakashi maintained his expression. Shikamaru exhaled, shifting the stack to get a better grip.

"Oh!" Kakashi said, lifting up a finger as a thought struck him. "Would you also mind bringing her a bouquet? Something cheerful, but not too fragrant; I'm sure Ino will know what I mean."

Shikamaru looked at him in disbelief. Kakashi put his hands in his pockets, his eyes upturned in a weary smile as he waited for Shikamaru's confirmation.

"Yeah, sure," Shikamaru mumbled forlornly, turning to leave.

"There's a reason you're my favorite assistant!" Kakashi chirped as Shikamaru struggled to close the door behind him while balancing the stack of loose papers.

 _I'm your only assistant,_ he thought, dipping his head.

Shikamaru had been promoted a few weeks back after Shizune switched to the medical field. It had been an honor at the time, but now he was starting to doubt how much pride he should actually take in the position.

* * *

A/N: I realize it's a little unrealistic that the Hokage would only have one assistant, but I always figured that Shizune and Shikamaru were like the "head" assistants who worked directly with the Hokage while everyone else reported to them to avoid having the Hokage swamped with people constantly barging in to their office (Naruto would always ignore this protocol, of course).


	110. Chapter 110

Shikamaru rapped his knuckles against the door. He looked about dejectedly as he waited for Yuiko to answer.

His eyes swept over the two trees outside the cottage that had been transplanted in order to hang a hammock. It was there that Shikamaru often used to rouse Kakashi from a nap in order to sign paperwork.

One thing Shikamaru had been grateful for in the past months was Yuiko abstaining from her duties with the barrier team. Kakashi tended to put more effort in at the office when his wife was around, and she visited him frequently at headquarters to show her support. It made enough of a difference for Shikamaru to even tolerate Yuiko's visits to his own office.

Shikamaru didn't dislike Yuiko per se, but she was fond of popping in to chat — almost as if to herself — about gossip and various events going on around the village. Every now and then she would bring some grilled mackerel for the two of them to share, which Shikamaru enjoyed, although he didn't like to think about how she went about finding out his favorite food. He also found her unannounced social calls annoying, but learned after a while that if he just nodded his head and chimed in with a "yeah" or "uh-huh" every few minutes, he could ignore her and get through his work as she talked.

He looked down at the bag in his left hand, regarding the bundle of sunflowers and the stack of papers that Ino had tied together for him with a purple ribbon. His teammate had been more than willing to help him with his assignment, although he forcibly had to keep her from flipping through the pages of Kakashi's letter to satisfy her own curiosity.

Shikamaru lifted his hand once again and knocked at the door. He cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably as he waited. When no answer came, he figured that Yuiko must be out, or resting. He turned to go, but froze as an image of Kakashi's face flashed before his eyes.

' _I assigned you a mission, Shikamaru,'_ he envisioned him saying with a terrible, cold expression.

 _It would be just like him to take something so stupid so seriously,_ Shikamaru thought, dejectedly turning back to the door.

"Yuiko?"

Shikamaru slid the door open and peered into the dark interior. There seemed to be no movement, so he cautiously made his way inside. He walked down the hall, glancing into the empty kitchen as he passed. As he entered the sitting room he looked to his right down the hallway toward the bedrooms, once again noting the silence.

 _Looks like she's out. Well, if I drop this off, I think it counts._

He lifted the bag up and plopped it heavily on the table. A piece of paper fluttered from the table's edge, falling to the floor. Shikamaru picked it up, and his eye caught the last bit of the hand-written note:

' _... in a few days! With all my love — Yuiko.'_

Shikamaru casually placed the note back on the table, turning back to the front door.

' _In a few days!'_

He froze, his eye twitching.

 _No. This is none of my business. Mission complete._

He took a few steps, reaching stiffly for the door handle.

' _In a few days!'_

"Dammit."

He whirled about and seized the note, flicking it open with one hand.

' _Kakashi,_

' _I'm sorry for my outburst this morning. I know you were trying to be thoughtful, but it hurt that you went and picked a gift without me. I'm also sorry I couldn't say this in person, but I don't think I'd be able to get the words out.'_

Shikamaru groaned.

 _Seriously, what's with the two of them?_ he thought. He shook his head slightly as he continued to read.

' _I took some time to really think about what would make a great gift for Naruto. I recalled a conversation we had last week, and his comment about who would be attending the wedding stuck out. Naruto mentioned that he wasn't getting his hopes up that Sasuke would be there, but the look on his face just broke my heart. And so I knew — my wedding present to Naruto is to bring Sasuke back in time for the ceremony! You left Sasuke's case file at home again, so I was able to glance through it to get a general idea of where he should be. It shouldn't take me too long to find him; I'll be home in a few days!_

 _With all of my love — Yuiko.'_

Shikamaru folded the paper back up and placed it on the table.

 _That's … actually not a terrible idea,_ he thought.

Shikamaru had been troubled himself over what to get the couple, and it seemed that Yuiko's idea to have Naruto's closest friend be at the wedding was quite thoughtful. It would certainly ruffle a few feathers, but Sasuke's research since the end of the war had certainly helped to improve –

"WHAT AM I THINKING?!" Shikamaru shouted, gripping his hair.

 _No … she couldn't be — no one would do something so stupid. This has to be a joke._

He rushed down the hall, slamming open all the doors. Every room was empty, the rooms lit only by the morning sunlight drifting through the windows.

Shikamaru rushed outside and made his way around the back in hopes of finding Yuiko sitting there, peacefully reading a book or enjoying the mild weather. But the area was just as devoid of her presence. He walked out into the yard and signaled for the Anbu member on Yuiko's guard duty. Over a minute passed, but no one appeared.

 _Dammit, that's right! Sai took over her surveillance. The Anbu must have left when they saw him arrive, but then Sai probably went elsewhere when Yuiko didn't answer the door, thinking she was still asleep. She most likely slipped out during that gap._

Shikamaru stormed back into the house in a panic.

 _Slow down. Think._

He closed his eyes and stood motionless for a moment. His eyes opened with a snap and Shikamaru made his way to the back bedroom. He glanced about, locating the closet.

A grimace grew on his face. Shikamaru was uncomfortable with going through Yuiko and Kakashi's things, but he pushed the emotion aside and slid the door open. He had seen Kakashi go into this closet once, noting that he kept a collection of gear hanging from the wall behind his clothing.

Shikamaru parted the jumpsuits and chest guards and studied the items hanging on the wall. A handful of the hooks were empty, including a large one next to a gear pack where another one could have fit.

 _This isn't a clear indication that she took anything, but this isn't looking good._

He made his way back to the living room, resting his chin in his hand.

 _It's possible this is a joke, but Yuiko seemed too upset from their conversation yesterday to pull something like this now. I also don't think she would try to pull a prank on Kakashi, considering the state he's in. Alright, first order of business is to go back to headquarters and —_

Shikamaru's eyes widened, his expression grim.

"Kakashi … is going to lose it," he mumbled.

Kakashi had been overly cautious with Yuiko from the moment he found out she was pregnant. Learning that she was missing would push him over the edge. No matter what happened then, it would be chaos.

"And then nothing _at all_ would get done," Shikamaru mused. A few seconds passed as he stared at the floor.

"WHAT AM I SAYING?!" he shouted. "A pregnant woman is missing and all I can think about office work?!"

 _Okay, calm down; there has to be a solution that doesn't involve creating a panic. Realistically, Yuiko couldn't have made it far. I can send out a special unit to get her and bring her back before Kakashi is any the wiser. This would be a perfect assignment for the Anbu, but there's no way they would act without reporting to the Hokage. Captain Yamato would be a good candidate, but he's already assigned to observe Orochimaru's movements. I also need at least a two-man squad, using members who wouldn't say anything about this to anyone. That just leaves …_

Shikamaru frowned, his eyebrows drooping.

 _... next to no one. Even Shino has the tendency to overexplain things, which would give him away in no time. But at least I have an idea of a few I can depend on. Alright, time to get to work._

Shikamaru snatched Yuiko's letter off the table. He stuffed it in his pocket and made his way out the door.

.

* * *

.

"Wha-what?!" Shikamaru's assistant squeaked, his violet eyes growing wide.

"Shhh!" Shikamaru said, holding a finger to his lips while he clapped his other hand over the boy's mouth.

"Wow, I can't believe it," the boy whispered when Shikamaru took his hand away.

"Yeah, I can't either," Shikamaru groaned.

"And … I'm not allowed to say … _anything_?" the boy said, his dirty blonde hair bobbing as he glanced nervously at the closed door. The two of them stood in Shikamaru's office, only a few doors down from the Hokage's.

"Not a word," Shikamaru said, looking down at him sternly. "I'm going to handle this. I should return by later today or tomorrow. Don't let Kakashi go home until I come back. He has plenty of spare clothes here, and I've left you enough projects to put in front of him to keep him occupied."

 _I sound like a doting mother talking to her babysitter,_ he thought bitterly.

"But what if he asks —" his assistant started.

"If he asks about me, tell him I'm working out the details for the upcoming Chūnin exams. He keeps forgetting about that, and it should throw him into enough of a panic to change the subject." Shikamaru squeezed the boy's shoulders. "I'm depending on you."

His assistant smiled and nodded. "You can count on me, Senpai!"

Shikamaru smirked and gave a casual wave as he left the room. His smile vanished as the door closed behind him, and his thoughts started to race as he approached the Hokage's office. He stopped at the door, pausing before reaching out to open it.

 _I need to nail this, or else all my preparations will be for nothing._

Shikamaru opened the door and found Kakashi sitting at his desk. The Hokage lifted his eyes, watching him coolly.

"Well?" he asked.

"She …" Shikamaru said, forcing a grin, "your wife was very appreciative. I think she liked it."

"I'm glad," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up as he smiled.

"B-but …" Shikamaru said, forcing the words out. "Yuiko said she wants to spend some time on her own, without any distractions, thinking about what kind of present to get Naruto."

Kakashi's eyebrows drooped, a worried look growing on his face. "That doesn't sound like her."

The corner of Shikamaru's mouth twitched, but Kakashi didn't seem to notice.

"I think she still feels a little guilty, from the other day, and doesn't want to make this your problem. She sounded pretty determined; I think it's something she really wants to handle on her own."

Kakashi leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "Well, I can't blame her," he said with a sigh. "I've probably been coddling her too much over the past few months. I can see her wanting to find some accomplishment in solving the issue herself."

 _You have no idea,_ Shikamaru thought bitterly.

"Right!" Shikamaru said, fighting to keep a carefree tone. "I'm sure she'd be proud if you stayed _right here_ and got all the details for the wedding worked out in the meantime."

"You think so?" Kakashi said, looking at him kindly. "I'm lucky to have so many supportive people to encourage me. Thank you, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru smiled, pushing down the guilt.

.

* * *

.

"Absolutely not."

Shikamaru's eyebrow twitched. Why couldn't things be easy for a change?

"It shouldn't take long," Shikamaru said, keeping his voice steady. "The sooner we head out, the sooner we'll be back. She couldn't have gone far."

"I have more important things to do than meddle in Lady Yuiko's business," Neji said, rising from his cushion. "Lady Yuiko is an accomplished kunoichi and more than capable of taking care of herself."

Shikamaru scrambled to his feet, standing to block Neji's path toward the door.

"Look, I need your help on this, alright?" Shikamaru said, fighting to keep his voice down. They were in the Hyūga compound, which was in a state of pandemonium due to the wedding preparations, but he still didn't want to risk being overheard.

"You can locate her quickly using your Byakugan, and we'll be back by this evening. I really don't feel like I should have to pull your leg over such a simple favor."

Neji raised an eyebrow. Shikamaru fought the urge to scowl.

"This 'simple favor' may not be as quick as you surmise," Neji replied. "I also have my hands full here, if you haven't noticed the current state of my clan."

Shikamaru didn't respond, but stood firm. The Hyūga sighed, closing his eyes.

"I will help you find her," he said flatly. "But that is all."

"That's all I'm asking," Shikamaru said, praying that his second recruit wouldn't be as difficult.

.

* * *

.

"Oh, good morning Shikamaru," Sai said cheerfully as Shikamaru mounted the hill. Sai had a large pad of paper set up on an easel in front of him, one hand holding onto its side while the other held a thick piece of charcoal.

"Morning," Shikamaru said glumly. "I need you to help me out, if you can."

"Of course. I would do anything to help a friend," Sai said, smiling sweetly.

 _Thank Kami,_ Shikamaru thought.

"I need you to accompany me on a mission."


	111. Chapter 111

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Shikamaru said, watching the treetops rush by below. The weather was, thankfully, fairly mild with only a hint of crispness in the spring air. The chill was exemplified by the wind whipping over the group, but it wasn't anything they weren't used to.

"It's no trouble," Sai said, directing the large ink bird they stood upon. "After all, Lord Hokage did entrust me to look after Lady Yuiko."

"That's right ..." Shikamaru said, glancing back at him. "No offense, but you haven't been doing it very well."

"You could say that," Sai said, chuckling.

 _How is he so calm about this?_ Shikamaru wondered glumly.

"Lady Yuiko told me she was headed to bed early last night, and I had planned on meeting up with her again in the morning," Sai said. "She got me pretty good."

"I don't think she's playing a prank on you," Shikamaru said, returning is attention to the winding road below.

"You don't?" Sai asked, sounding puzzled.

Shikamaru sighed. He was lucky that Sai possessed the skills that it would take to catch Yuiko, but he wouldn't have been Shikamaru's first choice for a traveling companion.

Neji was no better. It was clear that his resolve to come along was hanging by a thread. Neji had hardly spoken to either Sai or himself, simply watching the trees rush by in silence as he activated his Byakugan. There was a time when Shikamaru would have been grateful to have a silent traveling companion, but Neji's contempt was rolling off of him like Killing Intent, and it was making the ride more than a little tense as they flew along.

The road heading southeast from the village wasn't as broad as the main road that headed due south, leaving more than a few bends where it disappeared under the treetops entirely. Shikamaru had considered going on foot, but decided than an overhead view of the area would give them a greater chance of quickly finding Yuiko.

 _As long as she isn't expecting us,_ he thought.

Yuiko's note made it clear that she was quite carefree in her intentions, but Shikamaru couldn't believe that she wasn't at least a little worried that Kakashi would send someone to stop her. Yuiko had evaded capture for over a decade through the use of her weak chakra signature, phasing jutsu, and skill in disguising herself. Shikamaru was a little fuzzy on the details, but he was aware that she also possessed a Dōjutsu Seal that might allow her to hide from Neji's sight.

 _It may have been a bad idea going by air after all. If she spots Sai's bird before we see her, she'll be able to hide in no time. It's safe to assume that Sai, at least, may be coming after her, since he'd been assigned to her guard. Damn, I wish I had thought of that sooner. And if she thought that there might also be a Hyūga, we may have already lost our chance._

A deep frown settled on Shikamaru's face as he scowled at the landscape.

 _We can land and backtrack on foot, but she may have already gone farther than I anticipated. I calculated her expected distance traveled based on the assumption that she was walking at a casual pace, but she may still be capable of running, despite her condition. If that's the case, she could be much farther up the road. There are too many possibilities, considering that I can't make a clear picture of her sense of urgency. I think the best thing we can do now is split up — if I send Sai and Neji ahead in the air, and I backtrack on foot, we'll have a better chance of covering both possibilities and finding her._

"Sai," Shikamaru said, looking over his shoulder. "Bring us down. I'm going to backtrack on foot while you continue ahead."

"Why is that?" Sai asked, glancing between Shikamaru and the ground below.

"I feel that is unnecessary," Neji said, deactivating his Byakugan as he turned to gaze at him.

"Well," Shikamaru said, irritated that he needed to explain himself, "First of all, if Yuiko is working to evade us, it's possible that we have already passed her by, so I want to backtrack to try to find any signs. Second —"

"Shikamaru," Neji said firmly. "We do not need to go to such lengths."

Shikamaru bristled. "Alright, I know you're doing me a favor and all, but this attitude needs to stop. I just want to find her as quickly as possible so we can all go home. Do you think you can work with me on that?"

Neji sighed, and Shikamaru fought the urge to wrap his hands around Neji's throat.

"I think what Neji means," Sai said, smiling amicably, "is that Lady Yuiko is right there." The bird stopped to hover as Sai pointed downward.

"What?!" Shikamaru said, scrambling next to Sai.

Yuiko was looking up at them from the trail, smiling broadly and waving in their direction. She was wearing a long, light green dress along with a wide-brimmed sunhat. The only thing that would indicate that she wasn't on an innocent morning stroll was the bulky gear pack hanging off her shoulders.

"Would you like me to take us down?" Sai asked cheerfully.

"Please," Shikamaru said, watching Yuiko in disbelief.

The ink bird descended in slow, wide circles to avoid blowing up dust from the trail. The bird landed deftly between the trees, and the three shinobi slid off its back as Yuiko approached.

"What a coincidence!" Yuiko exclaimed, clapping her hands together in delight. "What are you all doing out here?"

 _What do you think?!_ Shikamaru thought, fighting to keep a neutral expression.

"We're here to bring you back to the village," Sai said.

"Oh," Yuiko said, looking disappointed. "But I haven't found Sasuke yet."

"Sasuke?" Sai said. Neji frowned, glancing at Shikamaru.

"Oh, right," Shikamaru said, turning to Sai. "I told you that Yuiko had left the village looking for a present for Naruto. I didn't want to mention that she was going after Sasuke, thinking it would worry you."

Sai looked back at him with a puzzled expression. "Why would that worry me?" he asked.

"Because!" Shikamaru said, surprised. "Sasuke is on a mission right now — one that could be dangerous. I didn't want you to panic."

"Oh," Sai said, internalizing the information. He looked at Yuiko. "So you were planning on bringing him home for the ceremony as a present to Naruto?"

Yuiko nodded, smiling sweetly.

"What a thoughtful idea," Sai said, his eyes turning up in a smile.

"Hey!" Shikamaru shouted. "Do either of you see anything at all wrong with this situation?!"

Yuiko and Sai regarded him, perplexed. Neji looked between them with a bored expression.

"Maybe you haven't noticed," Shikamaru said, his eye twitching, "... but you're _pregnant_."

"So?" Yuiko said, her brow furrowing. "It doesn't mean I can't do anything anymore."

"Yes it does!" Shikamaru shouted. "Your due date is only a few weeks away!"

"Exactly!" Yuiko said, putting her hands on her hips. "I still have a few weeks!"

Sai nodded in agreement.

"What?!" Shikamaru shouted, looking at them incredulously. "That's not how it works! It's an approximation!"

"How would you know?" Sai asked. "You don't have any children." He frowned slightly in thought. "Do you?"

"I don't!" Shikamaru shouted defensively. "But I have common sense!"

Neji stepped forward, regarding Shikamaru. "Since you have located Lady Yuiko, I will be taking my leave. Do not forget that you owe me a favor."

Shikamaru balked. "Are you even listening to what they're saying?"

Neji shrugged. "Finding a wedding gift with Lady Yuiko is not a priority of mine; I already have mine in order." He turned, bowing lightly to Yuiko. "It was good seeing you, Lady Yuiko. I have many preparations for the upcoming wedding, if you'll excuse my absence."

Yuiko smiled, nodding amicably. "Say 'hi' to Hinata for me," she said sweetly. "I'm sure she appreciates all of your help."

A small smile touched Neji's lips as he straightened. "I have been doing my best to keep Hinata's duties to a minimum," he said. "The process of planning the ceremony has been taxing, but I believe the outcome will be very rewarding. I have a meeting with the tailor this afternoon, and the caterer tomorrow morning. Thank you, by the way, for swaying Naruto's opinion on what would be appropriate for the menu."

Yuiko chuckled. "You know him – ramen will always be his go-to."

Neji nodded politely. "It was a pleasure seeing you, Lady Yuiko. I wish you luck on your endeavor, and I hope we have a chance to speak again during the ceremony rehearsal next week."

"I'm sure we will," Yuiko said. "Try not to overwork yourself, alright?"

"Of course. Thank you for your concern," Neji replied. He made brief eye contact with the group before turning and dashing down the road.

Shikamaru had been regarding the cordial exchange with a stunned expression. He now watched Neji's form disappear among the trees in disbelief.

"Shikamaru," Yuiko said, grabbing his attention. "I'm touched that you were so worried about me, but I promise I'll be fine."

Shikamaru shook his head, racking his brain.

 _Alright, start small._

"Don't you think this is dangerous?" he asked. "You're not worried about being out there by yourself?"

Yuiko shrugged. "I'm used to it," she said. "Plus, I'm not really alone."

She smiled, gently patting her belly. Shikamaru's eyes narrowed.

"Alright," he said, trying to keep an even tone, "then you're not worried about your health? What if something happens and you need medical attention?"

"I'm not too worried," she replied. "I've hardly had any health issues, to begin with; the doctor thinks it's an Uzumaki thing. And if I need medical attention, I'll just find the nearest village."

"But what if —?"

"I know how to take care of myself," Yuiko said, cutting Shikamaru short. "I'll be back in a few days, OK?"

She smiled at him, turning around to give Sai a thumbs-up. Sai happily returned the gesture, and the two of them watched as she shifted her gear pack and walked away.

 _What do I do?_ Shikamaru thought, gritting his teeth. _I figured we could reason with her, but that was a bust. Why are women so stubborn? I could take her by force … Ugh, no. I can't bring myself to do that. But I can't go back to Konoha without her, either._

He sighed, already regretting his decision.

"Wait," he said, a tone of dejection in his voice. "We're coming with you."


	112. Chapter 112

"If we can't find him by tomorrow, we go back. Deal?"

Yuiko pursed her lips in thought. Her hair whipped about her shoulders, the sunhat having been safely tucked away into her pack.

"We _will_ be getting there a lot faster than I anticipated," she said. There was a hint of reluctance to her voice, but she nodded curtly. "Yes, that's fine."

Shikamaru sighed, his shoulders slumping.

 _I can't believe I'm doing this,_ he thought glumly.

The three of them sat atop Sai's ink bird as they flew east. They were due to reach their destination by the early afternoon.

Shikamaru shifted himself into a lounging position, figuring that there was no point in being both miserable and uncomfortable. Part of him wanted to give in to the urge to ignore Yuiko entirely out of pure irritation. But the ever-present inquisitive part of his mind allowed his curiosity to get the better of him as he studied her.

"This place is your home, right?" he asked.

Yuiko frowned, absentmindedly running her hand over her belly. "Not really," she said. "Uzushiogakure was destroyed before I was old enough to remember it. My grandfather took me back there once when I was young, but we didn't stay in the area for very long."

Shikamaru hummed, shifting his gaze to the clouds overhead. "What was he doing there? Searching for other members of your clan?"

Shikamaru's question was only met with the sound of wind whipping over his ears. He raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Yuiko. She was gazing at the ground below, her expression blank. Shikamaru sighed.

"Sorry if that was insensitive," he said. "I won't bring up your clan again."

Yuiko shook her head, keeping her eyes locked on the sea of trees rushing by below. "It's not that," she said. "I just couldn't answer your question about my grandfather. I rarely knew what he was thinking, to be honest. He didn't speak to me all that much."

Something dark flashed behind Yuiko's eyes. Shikamaru's brow furrowed as he studied her. As she turned to face him, her expression grew more neutral.

"He might have been looking for some artifacts," she said, clearly trying to change the subject. "From the reports I've read, the dig site has unearthed quite a few items with seals."

"That's what I've heard, too," Shikamaru replied. He was more than happy to switch focus to a lighter topic. "Those reports were probably what caught Sasuke's interest."

Sasuke's last correspondence indicated that he was going to an excavation site exploring a tunnel system recently discovered underneath Uzushiogakure. The excavation of Uzushio was a project that had begun less than a year prior when a group of archaeologists petitioned the Fire Daimyō and Hokage for funding. It was eventually approved when the archaeologists promised to have any artifacts removed from the site inspected by Konoha shinobi and transferred to Konoha if necessary. So far, very few items were deemed valuable enough for transport. There were quite a few items with storage seals, but most of them were either broken or deteriorated from age.

The discovery of the tunnel system, however, was something new that had piqued even Shikamaru's interest. From the reports he had read, most of the system had been destroyed, but some of the rooms within seemed to be much older than the founding of Uzushiogakure itself. It was these rooms, Shikamaru surmised, which drew Sasuke's attention.

Since the end of the war, Sasuke's ongoing mission had been to locate any traces of Black Zetsu and the malevolent being — Kaguya — it had attempted to resurrect. Black Zetsu may have been gone, but most agreed that there was no harm in playing it safe when it came to collecting intel on an enemy that had been a global threat. There were, surprisingly, a handful of ruins throughout the Land of Fire that Sasuke had located over the years connected to Black Zetsu. Some of the ruins were centuries old, which corroborated Naruto and Sasuke's claims that the person Black Zetsu tried to bring back was indeed the "God of Shinobi." Shikamaru would have liked to dip further into Sasuke's research, but with his growing list of responsibilities, he found that he simply didn't have the time.

 _Maybe I can consider this a vacation,_ he thought for a fleeting moment.

The thought was pushed away by the ever-present feeling of anxiety as he recalled the stack of paperwork waiting for him back home. Shikamaru fought back a groan and covered his eyes.

 _This has got to be the dumbest thing I've ever agreed to, including nearly everything Naruto ever talked me into._

.

* * *

.

"Lady Yuiko — how wonderful! I'm sorry; we would have prepared finer accommodations if we knew you were coming."

Yuiko waved away the lead archaeologist's concern with a smile. "Please, don't worry about it. I'm actually just here looking for someone."

The man's smile faltered. Guilt churned in Yuiko's stomach on seeing the disappointment behind the bespectacled man's dark eyes. He lifted his wide-brimmed hat to nervously run a hand over his forehead, pushing back the blue curls that partially obscured his vision.

"Oh, well," he said. "I will be happy to help you if I can. But while you're here, would you mind taking a look at a few murals we've found? We sent some pictures back to Konoha a while ago, but my guess is that the Intelligence Division must be having some trouble translating them since we haven't heard anything back yet."

 _Or they just have better things to do_ , Shikamaru thought dryly. He and Sai stood behind Yuiko as she chatted with the archaeologist. His mood was improving significantly since they hadn't yet come across Sasuke.

"Of course," Yuiko told the man. Her eyes glanced over the area in an attempt to spot a familiar brooding figure.

The island Uzushio occupied had started reverting back to its original state over the decades of abandonment. Trees and shrubs pushed up among the debris that once made up Uzushio's towering buildings. The archaeologists had set up camp in a large clearing that showed signs of once having been an arena of some sort. There were over a dozen tents of varying sizes littered about, and Shikamaru caught a glimpse of occasional figures flitting between them.

"I'm actually looking for Sasuke Uchiha," Yuiko said. Shikamaru returned his attention to the exchange.

The archaeologist's demeanor shifted. "Oh, him," he huffed. "Yes, he was here a few weeks ago. Hardly said a word to anyone, and didn't even clear anything with me before he just stepped over the safety tape into the dig site."

The archaeologist's expression turned sour as he recalled the transgression. "I last saw him looking at one of the newly unearthed murals. He took off after that."

Shikamaru noted the positive change in the man's inflection during that last part. He glanced to Yuiko, who seemed understandably downtrodden.

"Well," Shikamaru said. "Thank you for your assistance. We'll just get out of your hair —"

"How about we take a look?" Sai said pleasantly. Shikamaru slowly turned his head to regard him with a hateful glare. Sai continued to smile as if he didn't notice.

"Perhaps Sasuke saw something that prompted him to go somewhere else," Sai continued. "Maybe we can figure out where."

"What a marvelous idea, my boy!" the archaeologist said. Excited at the idea of getting Yuiko near the murals, he hastily grabbed her hand and practically dragged her out of the campsite. Sai followed quickly while Shikamaru watched them go. He sighed, tiredly running his hand over his face before following.

—

"Yes, I believe this is the one he was looking at," the archaeologist said brightly, gazing about the large chamber.

The group had picked up lanterns as they entered the tunnel system, which they all held up above their heads in an attempt to study the intricate pattern of symbols and lines etched across the room.

The walls and ceiling were surprisingly smooth; Shikamaru surmised that the builders responsible probably used a special style of earth-jutsu to gain that result. The jutsu, however, hadn't been impervious to Uzushio's past assault. There were cracks along the walls and occasional gaps where chunks had fallen from the ceiling. Otherwise, the archaeologists had cleared the room in a way that left it in fairly decent condition.

It was a stark contrast to the series of jagged tunnels which lead to the chamber. The passageways of black stone were short and rather cramped; it wasn't hard to guess that most of them were made by the archaeologists themselves, leaning to the side of disrupting as little of the surrounding earth as possible to avoid cave-ins. Shikamaru couldn't help but to be impressed that the head archaeologist had lead their group through the continuous twists and turns of the tunnel system with an air of confidence as if he had walked them his entire life.

"Our best guess, at the moment, is that this was a storage seal designed to hold large amounts of food — probably grain," the archaeologist said as he admired the deep blue markings adorning the walls. "A seal this large could hold many tons, which is quite a feat! We would be honored if you would return some time after your child is born, Lady Yuiko, and see if you can activate the seal. Imagine being able to analyze stored food from centuries ago!"

"I can't imagine it would taste very good," Sai said.

The archaeologist's smile faltered. He seemed unsure if Sai was joking based on his flat tone.

"Err, no, probably not," the man said. He drifted toward Yuiko, whose brow was furrowed as she stared intently at one of the symbols.

"So?" the archaeologist asked, his voice brimming with excitement.

"It's not a storage seal," Yuiko replied passively. "I recognize most of the markings, but I'll need to study the entire room for a bit."

Shikamaru had expected the man to be disappointed by Yuiko's dismissal of his theory, but on the contrary, the archaeologist seemed beside himself in delight. "Take as much time as you need!" he cried. "I need to check in with the other sites, but I'll be back very shortly!"

The archaeologist stepped past Shikamaru with a friendly nod, muttering to himself as he mused over the seal.

Shikamaru put down his lantern and sat crossed-legged on the ground. He leaned his head into his hand, watching lazily as Yuiko slowly circled the room. Sai followed her, occasionally lifting his lantern at Yuiko's direction.

Shikamaru found himself nearly drifting off when Yuiko did something different. She reached out to touch the wall and let out a soft gasp.

"What is it?" Shikamaru asked, lifting his head.

"This seal ..." Yuiko said, her eyes growing wide. "I can feel traces of foreign chakra. I think Sasuke activated it."


	113. Chapter 113

"What?" Shikamaru said, rising to his feet. "You think Sasuke really messed with this thing?"

He walked over to Yuiko and gazed at the wall. The symbols were still meaningless to him, but his brain was keen on trying to find a pattern. "How would he know how to activate it? I didn't think he knew any fūinjutsu beyond basic storage seals."

Yuiko hummed in thought. "Kakashi is actually quite skilled in fūinjutsu," she said. "He told me once that his sharingan allowed him to see the patterns in seals, along with how the chakra flows when they're activated. He would only need to practice making a seal once or twice before having it down. He had some trouble with chakra seals, since that process can vary, but he was still above average."

Shikamaru followed her train of thought. "So you think Sasuke can also make out how the seal works because of his sharingan?"

Yuiko nodded. "This seal was broken, but Sasuke's chakra filled in the gaps."

"What did it do?" Sai asked, leaning closer to the wall.

"It's a teleportation seal," Yuiko said slowly. "It reminds me of the Flying Raijin Jutsu, but much more powerful. If it worked correctly, it took him somewhere."

Shikamaru eyed the seal wearily. "Alright, so can you tell where it goes without activating it?"

Just as he had feared, Yuiko shook her head. Shikamaru sighed. "Well, I'm sorry, but this is the end of the line. We're not activating this thing."

"Why not?" Sai asked in surprise.

"Are you kidding?" Shikamaru said, exasperated. "We're not going to use some ancient teleportation seal that will take us Kami-knows-where!"

"But what about Sasuke?" Sai said. "What if he needs our help?"

Shikamaru looked at him in disbelief. "First of all," he said. "Sasuke is probably the _last_ person who would ever need our help. Secondly, he can teleport to just about anywhere. We have no reason to follow him through this thing."

The hair on Shikamaru's arms stood up as chakra filled the air. He squinted against the blue light that was now shining through the seal. Shikamaru wheeled about to face Yuiko.

"If you're doing what I think you're doing …" he growled.

"You worry too much," Yuiko said, waving away his concern. "I checked the seal, and it's fine; I can feel it resonating with its counterpart, so we shouldn't have a problem coming back. We can just pop over to see if Sasuke's on the other side, then come back if you want to wait for us."

Shikamaru bristled. "Yuiko, this is _not a game!_ I'm here to keep you safe, and you're making this far more difficult than it has to be. Stop this now before I make you stop."

Yuiko's smile fell away as she struck Shikamaru with a cold expression. "I'm not a child, Shikamaru. Don't speak to me like I am one."

 _Then stop acting like one,_ Shikamaru thought, stopping himself from saying the words aloud.

Yuiko's eyes narrowed as she regarded him, and the buzz of chakra in the air increased. Shikamaru activated his shadow, but it was too late. He blinked, and suddenly he found himself standing on a dais under the night sky. Shikamaru looked about in confusion.

 _What? It was early afternoon before. Why is it so late?_

The white stone dais under their feet was covered in an array of symbols making up a large seal. The platform seemed to be in the center of a small valley, the horizon obscured by grassy slopes on all sides. Shikamaru spotted a narrow set of stone steps leading up one of the sides, which appeared to be the only other man-made object in the area.

"That was fun," Sai chirped, looking about. Shikamaru sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day and scratched the back of his head. He glanced at Yuiko, who was looking everywhere but in his direction. He opened his mouth, but stopped when he sensed a number of chakra signatures quickly approaching.

"Sai," he said, his companion quickly picking up on his tone. Sai and Shikamaru moved to flank Yuiko. Shikamaru brought his hand to his side pouch, palming a kunai and a smoke bomb.

Several figures appeared atop the ridge, spreading out. Shikamaru identified them as shinobi, although he didn't recognize the grey plate armor they wore over their jumpsuits. He squinted, trying to identify the symbol on their headbands in the dark.

A figure separated from the group, walking slowly down the steps. Shikamaru and Sai tensed as they studied the man. He was tall, with long, dark red hair tied back behind his ears. Part of his hair hung down to cover his left eye, his visible eye a sharp blue. He wore the same black jumpsuit and grey metal chest plate as his companions, accompanied by a long, red cloak.

The man paused halfway down the steps, studying the group intently. "Why are you here?" he asked.

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. The man seemed more curious than surprised. Had these people been expecting them?

"Captain Yukimura!" a voice snapped. The man's attention slowly left the newcomers as another figure swiftly made its way down the steps. The speaker was a woman in a long, deep blue dress with a swirling gold pattern stitched across the material. She appeared younger than the man Yukimura, and her bright orange hair was braided into a low bun that stood out sharply against her deep purple eyes.

"Tell your guards to stand down!" the woman barked.

Yukimura's eye narrowed. "Why?"

The woman threw up her hands in exasperation. Her lively nature was a stark contrast to her otherwise regal appearance.

"Are you blind, stupid, or both?!" she shouted. "That woman is pregnant, you idiot! You don't threaten a pregnant woman!"

Yukimura regarded her with a blank expression. The woman scoffed. She turned to point at the figures atop the hill. "All of you, BACK OFF!"

The figures immediately retreated a few paces. The woman turned back to regard Yukimura with a scowl. "I know you've been on edge lately, but you need to stop acting so paranoid and get a hold of yourself."

Yukimura's eye narrowed as he watched the woman step past him. She walked purposefully down the steps toward Yuiko's group. Shikamaru exchanged a glance with Sai and Yuiko, holding their gaze for a few seconds. They each nodded in understanding: 'Don't reveal more than you have to. Treat all strangers as hostile until proven otherwise.'

"I'm sorry about that asshole; he hasn't been acting like himself," the woman said, bowing as she stopped before them. Shikamaru blinked in surprise. The woman straightened up and regarded their group with an amused expression. "The name's Hanako. It's a pleasure."

The group didn't answer, but watched Hanako warily. The woman's eyes landed on Yuiko, looking her up and down. "I take it you're the Uzumaki," she stated frankly. Her face broke into a smile. "You look just about ready to pop!"

Shikamaru glared at her. "What makes you think that she's an Uzumaki?" he asked. The pieces of information that Shikamaru had gathered through simple observation were beginning to form a clearer picture. He didn't know where this place was, but he was starting to have an idea of who they had run into.

"She looks like one," Hanako said simply. "And only an Uzumaki could have figured out that seal."

That assessment was clearly incorrect, based on Shikamaru's knowledge, but he wasn't about to point that out.

Yuiko took a tentative step toward Hanako. "Yes, I am an Uzumaki," she said softly.

Shikamaru watched her intently. It seemed that she had followed the same train of thought as he had. He hoped that it wouldn't lead her to do anything rash.

Hanako nodded. "Did Ninigi send you?" she asked.

The hopeful look fell from Yuiko's face as she froze in place. Shikamaru looked at her in confusion. Seconds ticked by as Yuiko stood motionless. Sai seemed to be teetering on the edge of staying on guard and reaching out to her as he watched her steadily.

"Are you alright?" Hanako asked, her brow furrowing.

Yuiko seemed to get a hold of herself, blinking as if her mind had been elsewhere. She nodded in assurance, and Hanako's expression relaxed.

"Ninigi …" Yuiko said slowly. "Ninigi passed away some time ago."

 _Who the hell is Ninigi?_ Shikamaru thought, racking his memory.

Hanako seemed put out, but nodded in understanding. "Yes, it makes sense that he died young, after what happened," she said softly. She raised her eyes to meet Yuiko's. "Have the others returned to Uzushio?"

"No," Yuiko said. "No one lives there."

Now Hanako seemed surprised. She took a moment to internalize the information before speaking again. "Were you trained by Ninigi, then?"

Shikamaru caught something flash behind Yuiko's eyes.

"Y-yes," Yuiko said hesitantly. "He … he raised me."

 _Now I get it,_ Shikamaru thought.

This man Ninigi must have been Yuiko's adoptive grandfather. Shikamaru knew only a little about how Yuiko had come to Konoha after her grandfather's passing. Yet something seemed off — Hanako had said that Ninigi died young, but from what he recalled, Yuiko's grandfather had supposedly been an old man. He took note of it for later.

"Please, come with me," Hanako said, her voice taking on a more formal tone. "The council will want to speak with you immediately."

Hanako turned on her heel, making her way to the stairs. She stopped to regard them after a few paces when she realized they weren't following. "You and your guards will come to no harm, I promise." She turned about and started her ascent.

Yuiko's eyes drifted to Shikamaru. Her expression was pleading, with a trace of hope. Shikamaru groaned.

 _What the hell did I get myself into?_

"Let's go," he said. "I don't think they're going to hurt us."

"Are you sure?" Sai asked, watching Hanako and Yukimura with a stone-faced expression. He had picked up on Yuiko's distress from earlier, and it didn't seem to be sitting with him well.

"I'm pretty sure," Shikamaru said, following Sai's gaze. "The Uzumaki clan has been an ally of Konoha's since the beginning, after all."


	114. Chapter 114

Shikamaru never left a lot of room for doubt after he made an assessment. There was, however, always a little uncertainty remaining, since by principle he could never truly bring himself to be 100% sure of anything.

Until now.

The massive, white hall he stood in was filled with the deafening chatter of onlookers waiting for the remaining members of the council to arrive. From the way that nearly every person in the room clamored and jostled among themselves to get a glimpse at the newcomers, then swiftly turned to exclaim their thoughts with little regard for whether said newcomers could hear them, Shikamaru was certain that these people were all members of the Uzumaki clan.

Their appearance was no less an indication of their heritage. The rumor that red hair was a dominant trait among the Uzumakis was true, although not everyone's was a fiery red color akin to that of Karin or Kushina Uzumaki. The reds ranged in shade from vibrant scarlet to burgundies and auburn. A handful of people in the crowd had bright orange hair, and Shikamaru spotted a few others with blonde and light brown. No one seemed to have hair matching Yuiko's color, but there were a couple of people sporting dark purple locks.

The trait Hanako noted Yuiko's clan resemblance in must have been her eyes. Violet was a common eye color, followed by an equal mix of blue and green. No one had brown or black eyes, and Shikamaru wondered if that was one of the reasons the Uzumakis seemed to be goggling at Sai and himself as if they were exotic animals in a zoo.

The three of them stood together near the center of the hall, with the Uzumaki clan forming a circle around them. Despite their curiosity, they all kept their distance — save for Hanako, who would occasionally push her way through the crowd to apologize for the wait.

It was during one of these visits that Hanako suddenly slapped her forehead. "I'm such a bird brain!" she exclaimed. The Konoha group regarded her warily.

"Here," she said, circling around behind them. She crouched down, placing her palms on the smooth stone floor. There were three poofs of smoke, and a trio of wooden chairs appeared before her. She gestured to them grandly. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, wondering about the extent of the seals that must have been hidden around them.

"The two of us would prefer to stand," he said, gesturing to Sai with a tilt of his head, "but our friend here could use a seat. Thank you."

Yuiko's shoulders stiffened. Shikamaru found it boundlessly annoying how sensitive she was to being treated differently. He met her gaze.

 _Yeah, yeah, I get it. Not now._

Yuiko pursed her lips, but took a seat. Shikamaru sighed in relief and returned his attention to the Uzumakis. Like the chairs behind them, someone had summoned a long wooden table and chairs a few yards away. Most were filled now by a handful of tired-looking men and women. It seemed that a few of them had been roused from bed and hadn't yet fully come to their senses. In one of the seats was the man from earlier, Yukimura. He regarded them steadily, revealing little emotion. It was a stark contrast to the lively bunch around him, and Shikamaru's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Hanako, who had momentarily disappeared into the crowd after providing their seats, reappeared at the front of the table.

"All right, everybody, SHUT UP!" she shouted, her voice echoing down from the high ceiling. The chatter immediately died down. Shikamaru shivered as he was suddenly reminded of the fifth Hokage.

Satisfied, Hanako circled to the other side of the table, taking the vacant seat at the end. An elderly woman in a deep burgundy robe stood up from the center, delicately placing the tips of her fingers on the table as she regarded the newcomers.

"Welcome, friends," she said, smiling kindly. "My name is Yuu. I am the head of the Uzumaki clan council. I apologize for the fanfare; this is the first time we've have visitors since coming to Koritsugakure."

Shikamaru's brow knit as he processed the unfamiliar name.

' _The Village Hidden in Isolation,' huh?_

Councilwoman Yuu proceeded to have the members of the council introduce themselves. Shikamaru cataloged the information as he regarded each one in turn, noting their rather general vocations focusing on matters like agriculture and textiles. His eyes lingered for a moment on Captain Yukimura, who introduced himself as the captain of the village guard with far less enthusiasm than his counterparts.

Hanako was the last member of the council to introduce herself, and it turned out that she was the resident seal master, which was probably saying something, considering her clan.

As most of the room's focus had been on the council members, Shikamaru had taken the opportunity to extend his shadow to meet up with his companions'. He pulsed a minuscule amount of chakra through it using standard Konoha Code — a non-verbal form of communication transmitted via taps or chakra pulses for times when a shinobi couldn't communicate verbally. His message testing the code was met with small chakra pulses from Yuiko and Sai in reply. Satisfied, Shikamaru brought his attention back to Yuu.

"The fact that you're here leads me to believe that the teleportation seal has been repaired on the other side. Is that correct?" Yuu asked. Her gaze was held firmly by Yuiko, who slowly rose to stand between Sai and Shikamaru.

"Yes, it has been repaired," Yuiko replied curtly. Councilwoman Yuu nodded in response.

"I was told that Uzushiogakure has been abandoned," she said solemnly. "Do you know where the remaining members of our clan are?"

Yuiko hesitated. Shikamaru noticed the look of uncertainty on her face. He gave her a chakra pulse indicating that she could tell the truth — the situation was quickly becoming a diplomatic matter, and there was no point in muddying relations between Konoha and the Uzumaki clan if unnecessary.

Shikamaru's pulse of chakra seemed to wake Yuiko from her daze, and she stood a little straighter. "I am only aware of two other surviving members of the Uzumaki clan," she replied.

Shikamaru flinched as the crowd around them erupted in commotion. Hanako practically flew out of her seat as she bounded onto the table and told everyone to quiet down. Even with Hanako yelling, it took the crowd a minute to settle down. As the chatter died away, Hanako returned to her seat. The members of the council wore downtrodden looks as they regarded Yuiko.

Councilwoman Yuu stared down at the table. She slowly lifted her violet eyes to meet Yuiko's. "That is unfortunate news," she said slowly. "I had hoped, with Ninigi stopping the rampage of the Tailed Beast, that more of our clan would have survived."

The other council members nodded in concurrence.

"How many of you are there?" Shikamaru asked. Yuu blinked in surprise, as if she hadn't noticed that he was there. She schooled her features back into an impartial mask.

"Around 400," she replied. "Sadly, many of the routes to the teleportation seal were blocked at the time of the attack. Less than half of our people made it through before I felt the seal break on the other end."

A somber mood fell over the hall. Almost everyone seemed to be trying to avoid eye contact with one another.

Yuu took a deep breath, and exhaled sharply. "I apologize," she said. "I have not even asked for your names."

Shikamaru immediately sent a series of chakra pulses through his shadow. His intention was to be as truthful as possible with the Uzumakis, but this part required a little finesse. There was still certain information that needed to be withheld for their own safety, at least for the time being.

"My name is Shikamaru Nara, and this is Sai," Shikamaru said. Sai tilted his head upon his introduction. "We are shinobi of Konohagakure."

"So Konoha still stands?" one of the councilmen asked, leaning forward in his seat.

"Yes," Shikamaru replied. He quickly racked his brain for relevant information. "There have been three wars since you all came here, through all of which Konoha has persevered. Our village boasts some of the most powerful shinobi among the nations, many of whom were integral in winning the last war. During the time that has passed since our victory, we've spearheaded strengthening relations with our allies. We have negotiated peace with all the hidden villages in neighboring countries and plan on continuing these positive relations into the foreseeable future."

Shikamaru admitted that he was laying it on a little thick, but he wanted to give the Uzumaki clan plenty of incentive to realign themselves with Konoha as soon as possible. The last thing anyone needed with the fourth war still fresh on their minds was another brewing altercation.

A few of the council members moved to speak, but Councilwoman Yuu cleared her throat.

"Please allow the final member of the group to introduce herself," she said. "We'll have time to follow up on the state of the outside world later." She motioned to Yuiko with a nod.

"My name is Yuiko … Uzumaki," Yuiko said, slightly bunching the material of her dress in her hands. "I am a kunoichi of Konohagakure."

 _Well, it's not a complete lie,_ Shikamaru thought, watching her steadily.

There was, of course, the chance that the Uzumaki clan would look more favorably on talks to reestablish their relationship with Konoha if they knew that they were speaking to the wife of the Hokage, but Shikamaru didn't want to risk Yuiko's safety by revealing her true name and title. The pregnant wife of one of the most powerful entities in the Land of Fire could be a priceless bargaining chip in the wrong hands.

"Yuiko, hmm?" Yuu said, studying her. "You couldn't have been more than a few years old when our clan fell."

Shikamaru caught that odd look on Yuiko's face again. He frowned, shooting Yuiko another chakra pulse to grab her attention.

"Y-yes," Yuiko replied. "I think I was around two or three; my grandfather wasn't sure."

"And it was Ninigi that gave you the name Yuiko, correct?"

Yuiko nodded. Yuu smiled slightly. She turned to Hanako at the end of the table and gave her a nod. Hanako rose from her seat, smoothing out her dress. She walked around the table to stand before Yuiko.

"There are three seals that our clan considers to be the most powerful, and potentially the most dangerous," Hanako stated. "Ninigi used one of these seals, which caused him to pass away prematurely by your own account." Her eyes were locked on Yuiko's, and Shikamaru watched the exchange with growing concern.

"That was the Beast Extraction Seal," Hanako continued. "It is normally performed with more than one seal caster, but from your retelling, Ninigi performed it on his own. I wouldn't expect anything less from a seal master of his ability. Do you also possess the knowledge of how to create this seal?"

"Why?" Shikamaru butted in. This was taking an unexpected turn, and he didn't like being surprised.

"We want to test the extent of the knowledge Ninigi passed on," Hanako said, glancing at Shikamaru briefly before returning her attention to Yuiko. "We won't require you to activate the seal, obviously, but I would like to see if you know it."

Shikamaru didn't like where this was going. The seal Hanako was requesting was considered S-Rank knowledge back in Konoha, and it wasn't a jutsu to be used lightly. If it was as dangerous as she claimed, there was no way in hell he was OK with Yuiko performing it.

' _No. no. no. no.'_

Shikamaru's chakra pulsed rapidly through his shadow. Yuiko's brow furrowed.

"Just the symbols?" Yuiko asked. Hanako nodded. Shikamaru felt a faint pulse through his shadow.

' _Build trust.'_

Shikamaru started to reply, but Yuiko had already lifted her foot off the ground. She slammed it down with unexpected force, and Shikamaru's shadow retreated from the sudden surge of chakra.

Glittering blue lines radiated from Yuiko's foot across the white tile, circling about as they twisted into symbols and patterns. The crowd of Uzumakis retreated from the edge of the massive seal.

The lines froze in place and faded from blue to black. Shikamaru estimated that the seal was at least 30 feet across. It was partially obscured by the table and chairs, but Hanako didn't seem concerned; she quickly started to shuffle about with her eyes locked on the floor. The crowd murmured quietly, likely afraid of invoking the seal master's wrath if they got too loud.

As soon as Hanako turned her back, Shikamaru stepped next to Yuiko and extended his shadow.

' _Chakra level?'_

' _fine,'_ came Yuiko's reply.

' _Too dangerous. No more.'_

Yuiko didn't reply, keeping her attention on Hanako. Shikamaru bristled. Why did this need to be so difficult?

After a few moments of tense silence, Hanako finished her inspection. She raised her head to regard Councilwoman Yuu and smiled. The councilwoman nodded, and Hanako crouched down to touch the seal. The entire seal flashed in a pale-yellow light before it started to fade away as if it were ink seeping through paper. Hanako rose to regard Yuiko as the last of it dissipated.

"The remaining two seals need to be performed directly on a person," Hanako said, walking up to Yuiko. "I obviously can't ask you to perform the seal used to contain a Tailed Beast, since that would destroy my chakra network without a beast to fill in the gaps. But the one I _will_ ask you to do has many similarities."

The color drained from Yuiko's face. Shikamaru watched her in alarm, worried that she may faint. Sai seemed to have the same thought, and reached out to gently grasp Yuiko's forearm.

"I can't," Yuiko said, her voice hardly above a whisper. "I can't."

Hanako's gaze softened. "I won't ask you to activate the seal," she said. "And I'm more than capable of making sure it doesn't activate on my own end as well. Trust me." Hanako finished that last statement with a playful wink, but Yuiko didn't seem convinced.

"She clearly doesn't want to do it," Shikamaru said sharply, his eyes on Hanako. Part of him was burning with curiosity over what the hell the two of them were talking about, but his duty to watch out for Yuiko's wellbeing trumped that notion.

Surprisingly, Yuiko turned to Sai. She lifted her hand, squeezing the one he had on her arm. Shikamaru couldn't make out the expression on Yuiko's face, and Sai looked as impartial as always. Something seemed to click behind Sai's eyes, and he smiled gently.

"It's alright, Lady Yuiko," he said. "You won't really mean it."

Shikamaru stared at them in confusion as Yuiko released Sai's hand and turned back to Hanako. She kept her eyes lowered, but nodded.

Hanako raised her hand to her collarbone, lightly touching the gold stitching of her dress. There was a plume of smoke, and a small utility knife appeared in her hand. Shikamaru tensed, but Hanako's movements slowed in a show of pacifism. She lifted her opposite hand and cut herself lightly on the pad of her thumb. She flipped the knife around, offering the handle to Yuiko.

Yuiko shook her head, instead raising her hand to her mouth and biting down lightly with her canine tooth. A bead of blood formed on her thumb, slowly dripping down her hand as she raised her palm to Hanako. Hanako mirrored her movements, and their hands met. The two women stood motionless for a moment as the blood from their wounds intermingled.

Suddenly, burgundy text started to flow over Hanako's skin, starting at her thumb and climbing its way up her arm. It stopped about halfway up her bicep, shuddering as if something was holding it in place. Hanako smiled and withdrew her hand. The text appeared to melt, dripping off Hanako's arm and falling in droplets on the floor. Shikamaru watched Yuiko, who was staring at the small puddles with a blank expression.

"It was perfect," Hanako said, loud enough that the council behind her could hear. Councilwoman Yuu rose from her seat and circled the table. The other council members also stood, although Yukimura seemed to do so reluctantly.

"I'm sorry we asked that of you," Councilwoman Yuu said as she approached. "That jutsu is forbidden, and only a select few still know how to perform it."

Yuiko didn't look at her or answer. Hanako had materialized a handkerchief that Yuiko was now using to wipe the blood from her hand.

"This proves that you were truly trained by Ninigi, who was probably the greatest seal master our clan has known," Yuu continued, watching Yuiko intently. "We have spent a long time waiting for his return, but it looks like fate has sent you in his stead."

Yuiko raised her eyes in confusion. Councilwoman Yuu smiled, her attention leaving Yuiko as her gaze swept over the room.

"For over three decades our clan has been deprived of its head," she said firmly, her voice carrying throughout the hall. "But today we have been blessed by our former leader, Ninigi. Today I declare that the woman he chose as his successor, Yuiko Uzumaki, will be the new leader of the Uzumaki clan!"

The hall vibrated from the cheers that erupted from the crowd among repeated cries of 'home!' and 'finally safe!'

Yuiko's eyes widened in shock.

"Eh?"


	115. Chapter 115

"OK. Incoming over here, outgoing over there …"

The boy swept his hand through his dirty blonde hair as he finished setting down the second stack of papers. He was doing his best to keep his senpai's desk as orderly as possible, since he knew it would be appreciated upon his return.

The office he and Shikamaru shared had been getting a bit disheveled, but after a few hours of organizing papers and sorting folders, it was starting to regain the familiar, tidy appearance it had sported before the wedding was announced. This was a project Shikamaru's assistant had been itching to do for a while, but his dutiful senpai would only grumble and hand him another set of reports to summarize when he voiced his concerns. His superior didn't share his affection for a meticulously organized office, but he couldn't imagine Shikamaru would be anything but grateful for it during such a hectic time.

The assistant's purple eyes sparkled at the idea of his senpai giving his curt approval and a wry grin at the pristine state of the office with its color-coordinated binders and reports sorted alphabetically by author and subject.

' _What would I do without you?'_ Shikamaru would say, and his assistant's heart would nearly explode in pride.

The fantasy bubble was abruptly popped by a gentle knock on the door. Shikamaru's assistant blinked as the door opened and his former superior poked her head into the room.

"Oh good, someone is still here," Shizune said. She smiled kindly and stepped through the doorway, a stack of folders in one hand and a tightly bound scroll in the other.

"Miss Shizune!" the boy chirped, practically skipping up to the woman. It wasn't often that Shizune came by; her new position as the head of disease research at the Konoha hospital had her working around the clock most days. After Shikamaru quickly got a firm handle on his duties as the Hokage's adviser, it was rare to see her around unless it was for funding proposals or the occasional jōnin council meeting.

"How are you …" Shizune's brow twitched, "… err, yes, how are you doing?"

Shizune prayed that the boy wouldn't notice that she couldn't recall his name. He had worked under her for less than a month before Shikamaru fully took over, and during that time she could count the number of times she spoke to him on one hand. It wasn't a great excuse, and Shizune made a mental note to ask Shikamaru about his assistant the next time she saw him. Speaking of which …

Shizune nodded pleasantly as the boy excitedly outlined how he had _finally_ gotten around to organizing the latest field reports by sub-dividing them into regions. His explanation was a bit longer than what Shizune had been prepared for when she asked how he was, but she allowed him to prattle on for another minute before cutting in.

"Is Shikamaru available?" she asked.

The boy had been in the middle of explaining the color-coding system of the landscaping proposals, and it took a few seconds of him staring at her with a slack-jawed expression before his brain seemed to catch up.

"He's working on the Chūnin Exams!" he blurted. Shizune was momentarily startled by the boy's sudden outburst, and stared at him as he looked up at her with a nervous expression.

"Oh … well, can you get this to him?" she asked, handing over the scroll in her hand. "A courier asked me to deliver it when we crossed paths on the first floor. I was on my way to speak with Lord Hokage, actually, so I'm afraid I need to take my leave."

The boy suddenly seemed more than happy to see her go.

"Of course!" he said, circling around her to open the door. "I'm sorry to have kept you, Miss Shizune! I'll give Shikamaru-Senpai the scroll right away! Probably today! It's getting into the morning now, so definitely today! He'll be here today!"

"Who will be here today?" a voice asked.

The assistant turned his head and froze. Kakashi was regarding them from the hallway with a tired expression, a steaming cup of tea in hand.

"Shi-Shikamaru-Senpai," the boy squeaked.

"Oh, good," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile. "It would be nice to have him help me organize the lists of wedding gifts that have been dropped off. Can you ask him to come by in the morning?" Kakashi's brow suddenly furrowed. "I guess it's already morning, isn't it? I forgot it was past midnight already."

He let out a sigh, taking a sip of tea through his mask.

"You act as if pulling an all-nighter is something new," Shizune joked. Kakashi leveled her with a weary glare.

"I …" Shikamaru's assistant squeaked, grabbing their attention.

"… I think that Shikamaru-Senpai will only be stopping in br-briefly," he continued, his eyes wide. "He said he still has to survey the locations for the Chūnin Exams."

Kakashi's eyes widened marginally before his face returned to a neutral expression.

"I know that look," Shizune said, a frown touching her lips. "You forgot about that, didn't you?"

Kakashi looked back at her with an innocent expression. Shizune shook her head.

"Really, Kakashi …" she said.

Kakashi studied her, his expression brightening. "I just had a wonderful idea," he said. "Since you're here anyway, you can help me sort through the lists. We can work side-by-side, just like when you were my assistant. How about it?"

"Not a chance," Shizune said flatly. Kakashi chuckled, scratching the side of his face. Shizune's expression softened, and she let out a reluctant sigh.

"I'll see if I can find someone to help out, since it looks like your assistants have their hands full here," she said.

"VERY FULL!" the assistant shouted. "Especially Shikamaru-Senpai! He will be here, but he's very, very busy!"

The boy stepped back into his office, slamming the door behind him. The two adults regarded it with puzzled expressions. Kakashi was the first to lose interest, and his gaze drifted from the door to his companion.

"I like him," he said, gesturing at the door. "He's very spirited; I should probably learn his name."

Shizune rolled her eyes. She joined Kakashi at his side as he began to stroll back to his office.

"I wanted to talk to you about the budget for the research conference," she said, producing a report from the stack of folders she held. "Unfortunately, what we have at the moment isn't adequate now that we have definitive numbers from Iwa's …"

Shizune's voice drifted away until it could no longer be heard through the door. Shikamaru's assistant took a step back from the other side.

"Get it together!"

The boy shook his head, his curls bouncing. "Shikamaru-Senpai would have played that so much cooler!"

He sighed, looking down at the scroll in his hand. The message had nearly been forgotten due to the Hokage's sudden appearance. He motioned to set it down atop the "incoming" pile on his senpai's desk, but stilled his hand as he read who the scroll was addressed to.

'ATTN: Office of the Hokage'

 _I can probably take care of this one_ , he thought, opening the scroll. The courier department had already undone the simple seal, indicating that the message was from a trusted source. These were the types of matters that Shikamaru's assistant normally handled, anyway.

' _To whom it may concern:_

 _Please forward my message of gratitude to Lady Yuiko for her visit to Dig Site 8 and for her analysis of the newly unearthed tunnel seal. I regret that I missed seeing Lady Yuiko off, but I can only assume that something concerning the seal was discovered that required my Lady's swift departure for further examination. Words cannot express how grateful I am for …'_

A crease formed between the boy's eyes as he continued to scan the letter. It went on for a few more paragraphs, going back and forth between dig site operations and the author's gratitude for Yuiko's visit. The letter turned out to be penned by the head archaeologist of the excavation of Uzushiogakure. His letters were a familiar sight, since he seemed borderline obsessive over updating the Hokage on his findings and hounding the intelligence division over deciphering the more complex seals discovered.

 _Imagine being so worked up over something frivolous like that,_ the assistant thought with a superior smirk.

He made his way over to a filing cabinet and opened the top drawer to leaf through the past archaeological reports, which had been sorted by dig site number, date, author, and seal complexity (which were color-coded, of course).

Within one of the files was a laminated copy of a map detailing Dig Site 8. He carried the paper across the room as he stood before a much larger map detailing the entire Land of Fire against the southern wall. After a few seconds, he reached out to put his finger on the approximate location of Dig Site 8.

"That letter was written just yesterday," the boy mumbled. He had no idea how Lady Yuiko could have made it so far east on her own, but surely Shikamaru-Senpai would figure it out and be on her trail.

The boy let out a soft sigh. His senpai was clearly not going to be back any time soon if he had followed Lady Yuiko to the other end of the continent. They would be lucky if he was back in less than three days, unless he had access to whatever faster means of travel Lady Yuiko seemed to possess.

An uncomfortable sensation ran down the assistant's spine, causing him to shiver.

 _Stop it! Don't freak out! You can handle this!_

He took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the room. "What would Shikamaru-Senpai do?"

The boy stood a little straighter, his eyes lighting up. "Shikamaru-Senpai would handle any challenge thrown his way," he said firmly. "I can't be expected to do any less!"

He turned to face the large map, grinning at Uzushiogakure.

 _Don't worry, Senpai, I've got you covered! I can handle the office no problem, and make sure no one knows you're gone! No one will have a clue where you really are, I promise!_

* * *

A/N: At the time I started writing this arc, the boy who popped up in a few of the later episodes of Shippuden as Shikamaru's office assistant wasn't given a name. I decided to roll with it and make it a running joke that no one seems to remember what the poor kid is called. Since Boruto has aired, this character now has a name, but I'm sticking with him being nameless for my own amusement. haha


	116. Chapter 116

Shikamaru turned his head toward the door as it clicked open. He sat, crossed-legged and irritated, in the middle of the barren room. Sai entered, smiling pleasantly.

"Did you find someone?" Shikamaru asked.

"Oh, yes," Sai said. "I actually feel quite silly now."

"Huh?" Shikamaru said, rising to his feet.

The Konoha group had been guided to a door attached to the large meeting hall, which they were told led to a series of suites for them to stay in. Shikamaru and Sai had been given a room that branched off of Yuiko's, but were dumbfounded when they opened the door to find that it was completely barren.

"Ah, here we are," Sai said, running his hand along the floorboards. There was a cloud of smoke, and a short, wooden table now stood beside him.

"Wait," Shikamaru said, staring at the table in disbelief. "Are you telling me that everything in this room is sealed?"

Sai nodded. "Miss Hanako said we should just unseal anything we need."

 _You have got to be kidding,_ Shikamaru thought. He sighed, extending his shadow as he felt for traces of chakra about the room. He was shocked to find that chakra was densely packed into nearly every square inch of it, including the walls and ceiling.

"We'll die of chakra deprivation if we try to unseal everything," Shikamaru mumbled. He wasn't especially familiar with complex containment seals, so he couldn't tell what was in each one, but he could make educated guesses based on the general size and location of the seal. Within a few minutes, the room boasted two beds with matching dressers, a large rug, a sitting table with four chairs, a fully-stocked writing desk, and a handful of standing lamps.

Shikamaru's nose wrinkled as he regarded the room. The general color scheme was … chaotic. The bed sheets were a deep blue with a large, red eddy symbol stitched in the middle. The pillows were a bright orange, which clashed horridly with the yellow and lavender carpet. All the lamp covers were stained glass in neon hues of green, pink, yellow, and blue. The room looked like a 3-year-old's fever dream.

"This is wonderful," Sai said pleasantly, admiring one of the lamps. Shikamaru regarded him incredulously but kept his mouth shut. He wandered over to one of the dressers and opened the top drawer. It was empty. He reached in, and was somewhat surprised when he felt another chakra signature within the drawer. When he activated the seal, a set of bright pink pajamas with yellow fish stitched into the fabric appearing beneath his fingers.

 _The stacked storage seal would be more impressive if it wasn't so frivolous,_ Shikamaru thought, withdrawing his hand.

Stacked storage seals weren't unheard of in Konoha, although they were rarely used in the field. If a shinobi needed a stored weapon, unsealing it in one step instead of two could mean the difference between life and death. Generally, stacked seals were only used for deliveries of large amounts of goods, and even then only sparingly. If one of the seals was damaged or stolen, it would be preferable to only account for the loss of the one item instead of multiple.

From a technical standpoint, though, stacked seals were fairly impressive. One could, theoretically, store the contents of an entire library in one seal with the right amount of time and skill. Shikamaru had heard through the grapevine that Yuiko had sealed all her belongings in one scroll when she moved out of Naruto's apartment after her marriage. He surmised that she didn't have a lot to move, but the amount of skill it would take to create a seal of that nature was still above anything Shikamaru had personally witnessed. Until now, anyway.

"Shikamaru," Sai said, grabbing his attention. Shikamaru turned to regard Sai as his companion sat at the table, a steaming cup of tea in hand.

"Where did you get that?" Shikamaru asked, walking up to the table. Sai smiled and tapped the table's surface with his pointer finger. Shikamaru furrowed his brow, placing his finger on the table. He activated the small seal he felt there, and a steaming cup of green tea popped into existence.

"Now this is getting ridiculous," Shikamaru said. He raised his eyes to meet Sai's. "Are you actually drinking that? Who knows how old it is?"

Sai shrugged and took another sip. Shikamaru fought down another sigh as the door clicked open. Yuiko closed the door behind her, not bothering to break her stride as she walked up to them.

Shikamaru frowned. "Is everything alright?"

Yuiko didn't seem sure how to answer that question. She sat down on one of the beds, bunching the material of her dress in her hands.

"Your clan seems very nice," Sai said. "Although they are very loud."

Yuiko nodded, staring ahead at the floor. Shikamaru stuffed his hands into his pockets as he ambled across the room and sat on the opposite bed facing Yuiko. He extended his shadow to meet hers.

' _Seal sweep. Enemy listening?'_

Yuiko frowned at him. Shikamaru responded with a shrug. The code for asking if someone was trying to eavesdrop was automatically associated with the term 'enemy,' so he didn't have a lot of wiggle room there.

Yuiko rose from her seat and walked over to the nearest wall. She put her palm against it, remaining motionless for a few seconds. She withdrew her hand and shook her head. "It's just furniture, clothes, and some food."

Shikamaru watched her as she returned to sit across from him. "What did you tell them?" he asked. Yuiko smiled, although there was a somewhat queasy nature to it.

"Well, I tried to tell them that I wasn't fit for it," she said. "But … they kind of convinced me that I am."

"Yuiko," Shikamaru said flatly, "you know you can't be their Clan Head, right? Aside from the conflict of interest, you're technically not even an Uzumaki anymore."

"I know that!" Yuiko replied quickly, looking flustered.

"None of this make sense," Shikamaru said, resting his head in his hand. "You were trained by the previous Clan Head, sure, but you're essentially a stranger. Why would they declare you the new leader out of the blue?"

Yuiko gave a weak shrug. "It sounds like they've been waiting for a long time. I think no one wanted to appoint a new Clan Head because it would mean admitting that my grandfather was never coming back, and that they were alone out here."

Shikamaru watched Yuiko steadily. "But you coming here just affirmed all that," he said. "So why choose you? It could be anyone now that they know the old Clan Head is dead."

Yuiko fidgeted in her seat. "They think my grandfather trained me specifically to lead the clan," she said sheepishly. "I was told that a Clan Head rarely schools anyone in fūinjutsu one-on-one unless they're considering someone as a successor. The truth is that he taught me all those things because he didn't have anyone else, and I tried to tell them that, but it didn't seem to matter."

A sharp concentration appeared behind Yuiko's gaze. "But I think I can do it for a little while — just until I convince them to go back to Konoha with us."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "What, all of them?"

Yuiko nodded vigorously. "Yes! It sounds like many of them are convinced that their loved ones are still out there, just scattered around the nations. It would be much easier for them to have Konoha as their base when searching instead of here."

Shikamaru nodded, digesting the information.

 _Strategically, adding another clan to Konoha's collection isn't a bad idea, even if we're at peace. It wouldn't be easy, but it would ultimately be for the greater good of the village. Although having more people like Naruto running around is sure to be troublesome._

Shikamaru brought his attention back to Yuiko. "You said 'here.' Where is 'here,' exactly?"

Yuiko pursed her lips. "Well," she said hesitantly. "We're … east of the Land of Water."

Shikamaru hit her with an incredulous look. Yuiko flinched.

"Sorry!" she said, growing flustered. "I don't know how else to say it! We're east, but _really far_ east. This is just an island in the middle of nowhere! They showed me a map, and it would probably take Sai over a week of flying non-stop to get to the closest major land mass."

"I would prefer not to do that, if it's an option," Sai piped up.

Shikamaru waved away his concern. "It's not ideal, but at least we know which direction to head if we have to."

Yuiko frowned. "They're not going to hurt us, Shikamaru."

"I'm just reviewing options," Shikamaru said. He laid down on the bed, putting his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. "I don't think they're lying about who they claim to be, but we still need to be cautious. Let's focus on getting them to agree to setting up talks with Konoha, and maybe one of us can pop through the teleportation seal to —"

Shikamaru grew silent. Yuiko and Sai exchanged a curious look.

"Shikamaru?" Yuiko said, growing concerned as the silence stretched on.

"Instead," Shikamaru said, continuing as if the awkward pause didn't happen, "let's have them send an envoy or two with us, and we can return to Konoha together. I think that will deliver a stronger message than simply sending Konoha a letter."

Yuiko shrugged. "Alright," she said.

Shikamaru was glad that he was able to catch himself before he'd said too much. As far as Yuiko was concerned, Kakashi was well aware that she had left Konoha and had no issues with it. This, of course, couldn't be farther from the truth.

Shikamaru had also given the Hokage the impression that he was diligently working on the upcoming Chūnin Exams. He smiled grimly as he imagined Kakashi opening up a letter addressed to him from someone who, by all rights, should be in the same building.

' _Lord Hokage,_

 _I have arranged a diplomatic meeting with members of the Uzumaki Clan's Council concerning a possible relocation effort for the surviving members of their clan to Konoha. Despite upcoming events, I encourage you to arrange a time for this assembly as soon as possible since I'm sure you would find meeting with the newest Clan Head to be a top priority. Please send your correspondence to the archaeological site at Uzushiogakure, and don't ask any questions.'_

Shikamaru almost laughed. _Oh yeah, that would go over well._

"Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru turned his head to regard Yuiko. She smiled back at him nervously.

"The council members said it's customary for the Clan Head to have an adviser," she said. Shikamaru internally groaned, already knowing where this was headed.

"I was just wondering," Yuiko said, trying to keep her composure despite Shikamaru's blank expression, "if you would be able to help me. Just for a little while — until I tell them the truth about why I can't be the Clan Head."

Shikamaru sighed and sat up. "They don't want you to pick someone else from the clan?" he asked flatly.

Yuiko fidgeted uncomfortably. "Well, maybe, but you know about these things. And I trust you."

 _Dammit,_ Shikamaru thought, regarding Yuiko's hopeful expression.

"Fine," he said. Yuiko's expression brightened.

"But," he added, holding up a hand, "my priority is to wrap things up here as soon as possible. I know that we initially came here looking for Sasuke, but my guess is that he teleported away without anyone noticing since no one has mentioned it. I need to know that you're OK with letting the notion of finding him go."

Yuiko seemed a little reluctant, but gave a curt nod. "Yes, I'm alright with that. I wanted to do something special for Naruto's wedding, and I think having members of the Uzumaki clan attend would also make him happy. It's too bad that we weren't able to cross paths with Sasuke, though."

 _Is it?_ Shikamaru thought, knowing full well that anything Yuiko might say to convince Sasuke would more than likely fall on deaf ears.

There was a knock on the door, and Sai rose from the table to answer. Shikamaru had been expecting to see Hanako, but was surprised to see that the guest was Captain Yukimura.

"Lady Yuiko," he said, looking past Sai. "I have been instructed to escort you to dinner."

The group remained silent for a few seconds before Yuiko stood, hastily smoothing the material of her dress over her belly. "Yes, alright. Can Sai and Shikamaru come too?"

Yukimura nodded. Even without his permission, Shikamaru would have gone anyway. Something didn't sit right with him about how the captain seemed to regard Yuiko. There was a look behind his eye that Shikamaru was having trouble reading, and he didn't like it.

"Alright, then," Shikamaru said, idly stepping between Yuiko and Yukimura. "Lead the way."


	117. Chapter 117

"I don't know why I'm surprised," Shikamaru mumbled as he picked up his chopsticks. His party had been told that the Uzumaki clan was pulling out all the stops for dinner tonight, including their greatest delicacy.

Ramen. It was ramen. Of _course_ it was ramen.

 _Well, at least it's good ramen,_ Shikamaru thought as he slurped down some noodles. His eyes drifted over the long table and the boisterous group of dinner guests. They were still in the same building as before, which seemed to be some sort of communal venue attached to the Clan Head's private household.

The feast was held in a dining hall that was smaller than the conference hall they had been in earlier. This room seemed to be another reflection of the clan's odd sense of interior decoration — the table was a deep blue with the red eddy symbol painted over the wood in a repeating pattern down the center. The chairs were a mishmash of different styles, heights, and colors, although they all seemed to be well-crafted. The walls were also lined with tapestries ranging from landscapes and portraits to simple repeating patterns. If the room he shared with Sai seemed to have been designed by a child, this room was akin to the house of a grandparent who felt that they had to have every single item their grandchildren had ever made for them put out proudly on display.

When they had arrived, their group had been the last ones seated for dinner. Yuiko took a seat at the head of the table while Sai and Shikamaru sat to her left and right. Captain Yukimura had taken a seat about halfway down the table, much to Shikamaru's delight.

After they had been seated, Councilwoman Yuu rose to recite a few pleasantries and reiterate how happy everyone was over Yuiko's arrival. Yuiko was at least able to put on an act of cordiality. Shikamaru was glad that all the time Kakashi had spent helping her to be more comfortable during social gatherings appeared to be paying off.

After Yuu took her seat, everyone save for the newcomers reached out to place a finger on the table. A collective popping noise rose momentarily throughout the room as the table was suddenly filled with steaming bowls of ramen. Shikamaru had to restrain himself from physically rolling his eyes at the display, and unsealed his own bowl along with a pair of chopsticks.

Dinner guests that evening (or early morning? Shikamaru had lost track at this point) included all members of the council, along with their own advisers and apprentices. It seemed that the Uzumaki clan highly valued community and being a part of a collective, even among their higher-ranking members. He was a little unsettled to discover that his rank as the Clan Head's adviser put him at a rank equal with other members of the council.

It seemed that Sai had been labeled as an apprentice, which didn't put him in line for a successorship, but meant he should be highly regarded for his skill in fūinjutsu. Shikamaru only hoped that during the short time they were in Koritsugakure that knowledge wouldn't be put too much to the test.

There was a nugget of truth in Sai's title at least, but he couldn't yet be called a seal master. Yuiko had actually been training Sai in fūinjutsu during their free time since the end of the war. Sai's ink jutsu bore many similarities to fūinjutsu, and training him in the practice seemed like a logical next step. His chakra sealing capabilities were now quite advanced; Sai could seal various elemental chakras then release them in a combined attack with his ink beasts. The jutsu, however, was still more time-consuming than his regular ink beasts, and he wasn't yet as flexible in dealing with different chakra elements as Yuiko. This meant that every now and then a scroll would catch fire or explode when he funneled in the wrong balance of chakra.

 _And wouldn't that make us look good?_ Shikamaru thought sarcastically.

Talk drifted over to more casual matters as dinner progressed. Councilwoman Yuu, who sat directly to Shikamaru's right, chatted to Yuiko about the state of the squash she was growing in her garden. Shikamaru was more than happy to let the others talk as he kept his eyes and ears open. Specifically, he would shoot glances down the table every now and then at Captain Yukimura.

Yukimura seemed to be the only Uzumaki at the table not generally enjoying the gathering. He gave curt replies to any questions sent his way between the apprehensive glances he shot in Yuiko's direction. The captain appeared to be held in high regard, based on how he was addressed by his peers. But the troubled looks he earned from those around him made it clear that his current demeanor was unusual.

Shikamaru's focus was broken as Hanako, who was seated to Sai's left, loudly asked Yuiko about her due date.

"Oh," Yuiko said, lowering the noodles from her mouth. "it's in about three weeks."

"I hope so!" Hanako said. "You'll snap in two if you get any bigger!"

She laughed at her own joke, and Yuiko smiled meekly.

"Will this be your first?" Hanako asked. "You look too well-rested for this one to be a second or third."

"Yes, this is my first pregnancy," Yuiko said with a nod.

"And which one of these two is the father?"

Shikamaru choked on his noodles. A coughing fit cleared his airway, and he was grateful that something as undignified as 'death by ramen' wasn't going to be engraved on his headstone.

"Neither," Yuiko said quickly.

"Yes, Lady Yuiko is too old," Sai added helpfully. Yuiko shot Sai a sour expression, which caused Hanako to burst into laughter.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to cause a stir!" Hanako said, wiping a tear from her eye. "Is the father back in Konoha?"

Shikamaru watched Yuiko steadily. He considered extending his shadow, but decided against it. Yuiko was aware of the situation, and Shikamaru trusted she could handle it.

"Well —" Yuiko began.

"He's dead," Sai said, smiling pleasantly. Shikamaru had to resist the urge to extend his shadow under the table and strangle Sai with it.

"Oh," Hanako said, her smile fading.

"Y-yes," Yuiko said haltingly. "I was _going_ to say that my husband was a member of Konoha's Intelligence Division, but he recently passed away from a terrible … accident."

"I'm so sorry," Hanako said, placing a hand on her chest. "Is that why you left Konoha in your condition?"

 _No, but that would make more sense than her actual reason,_ Shikamaru thought dryly.

Yuiko jumped at the opening. "Yes," she said quickly. "I … don't have any family left in Konoha, so I thought maybe I could track down someone if I came to Uzushiogakure."

Hanako nodded in understanding as she placed her chopsticks to the side of her bowl. "I can imagine how hard it would be, losing your husband, and Ninigi before that."

Shikamaru caught something dark flash behind Yuiko's eyes. He tensed, worried that Hanako had seen it as well. But the woman must have mistaken the look for something more sorrowful.

"Ninigi was a great man," Hanako continued. "He was the best Clan Head I've ever known — although he was the only one I knew up until now, so maybe I'm biased!" she said with a laugh.

Shikamaru had frozen in place as he watched Yuiko. Her face was an impartial mask, but her knuckles were turning white as her fingers dug in to the table.

"It's sweet that he called you Yuiko, too," Hanako said. "It suits you. I wonder what your real name is, though. That's sort of funny to think about, yeah?"

Yuu, who had been listening in on the conversation, leaned forward in her seat. "Yuiko, you don't happen to recall who your parents were, do you?"

Yuiko seemed taken aback by the question. Shikamaru exhaled softy, relieved that it knocked her out of whatever state she had been in. Yuiko quickly shook her head.

"A pity," Yuu said. "After we arrived here, we tried to catalog as much information as we could about everyone who did not make it through the transportation seal. Since Yuiko is not your given name, it might make a search difficult; however, your hair color is unique enough that perhaps we can find something. Although I can't recall any cases of missing children of your description."

There was an awkward silence as Yuiko's eyes dropped in disappointment.

"But hey!" Hanako said, leaning forward in her seat. "Maybe someone will pop up, yeah? Now that we can get back to Uzushio, we —"

Yuu loudly cleared her throat. Hanako met her gaze with a playful smile.

"Oh, right. We'll get to that later," Hanako said. Her smile faltered at the downtrodden look still on Yuiko's face. "It really is something — your hair, I mean," she said, clearly trying to drive the conversation to a more positive topic. "I had a great-aunt with hair like yours. I was always so jealous of it! You see the darker shades of purple every now and then, but I've only seen a handful with a lighter shade. And it's so shiny! What do you do with it?"

Yuiko raised her eyes, the sad expression shifting to one of surprise. "N-nothing really," she said. "I know someone back in Konoha who let me try out the shampoo she uses and it works well, I think."

The conversation shifted into hair care routines, then back to other topics of casual conversation. Hanako mentioned that she had an assistant who she was excited to introduce during the planned tour of the village. Said assistant was preoccupied with work at the moment, which Hanako wouldn't expand upon due to her insistence that it was a surprise. She quickly changed the subject by listing off a number of shops that their group should stop by around the village. At least five of the places she listed were ramen stands, to Shikamaru's disbelief.

Shikamaru could tell that Yuiko was doing her best to put on a warm expression, but a look of melancholy flashed behind her eyes every time Hanako and Yuu turned away.

After some time, Shikamaru decided to risk getting his head bitten off by announcing that Yuiko should get some rest. Yuiko, thankfully, didn't protest, so he, Sai, and (to Shikamaru's displeasure) Captain Yukimura escorted Yuiko back to her room. Shikamaru did his best not to glare as he closed the door to Yuiko's suite in Yukimura's face.

Yuiko's suite was slightly larger than the one Shikamaru and Sai shared, and she had only bothered to unseal a bed, couch, a single lamp, and a small table, which left the room looking somewhat barren. Sai made himself busy by walking around the room and unsealing a few rugs and lamps.

"You alright?" Shikamaru asked, watching Yuiko as she sat down heavily on the bed. She had her hand on her belly and was rubbing it absentmindedly.

Yuiko took a deep breath. "It's … a lot," she said.

Shikamaru nodded. He had always had a large family — a clan — so it was a little hard to sympathize; he could only imagine what it would be like to wake up one morning with only one or two known relatives and to suddenly discover over 400 of them later in the day. Not to mention the possibility that someone among them might turn out to be immediate family.

"Try not to think about it too much," Shikamaru said with a shrug. "You're always telling Kakashi to deal with things one item at a time, so let's just do that."

Yuiko nodded. Shikamaru sighed; the exhaustion from the day's events was finally hitting him. It felt like a lifetime ago that he and Sai had left Konoha to go find Yuiko.

 _This has been a crazy day. Or two; I've honestly lost track._

"I'm hittin' the hay," Shikamaru said, glancing at Sai.

Sai had arranged the couch parallel to Yuiko's bed and he was currently making himself comfortable as he pulled out a book. "I think Lady Yuiko and I are going to read for a while," he said cheerfully. "She lent me the second book in the 'Sword-Crossed Lovers' series, and I would like to hear her thoughts on which sexy sea creature the heroine should swim away with."

Shikamaru looked at Sai in disbelief, but noticed out of the corner of his eye that Yuiko was now genuinely smiling.

 _Huh. When did he learn to be empathetic?_

"Have fun with that," Shikamaru said, exiting the room via the door connecting their suites. He removed his flak jacket, but decided to stay in his jumpsuit as he crawled into bed. He refused to wear the pink pajamas in the drawer on principle.


	118. Chapter 118

A/N: To the guests who have been leaving reviews- thank you! The support always means a lot! :D

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"Sometimes I wonder who I miss more when I'm busy like this: Shikamaru or my wife."

Sakura rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly as she continued to scan over the report in her hands. "What is Shikamaru working on?" she asked. "The Chūnin Exams, right?"

"Ah," Kakashi said with a nod, leaning back in his chair. He dropped the report he was reading onto his desk, rubbing his eyes.

Sakura regarded him with a frown from across the desk. "Have you been sleeping?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Here and there. Every time I finally feel like I have a chance to breathe, Shikamaru's assistant comes in here with another urgent matter." Kakashi's brow furrowed. "I keep forgetting to ask him for his name."

Sakura sighed, leaning forward in her seat to set down her own stack of papers. "Maybe we should take a break. I'm also starting to feel like a horrible person for judging all these people based on the gifts they're bringing. Some of them don't sound very fancy, but from knowing the givers I can tell that they really do mean a lot."

Kakashi exhaled, deflating in his seat. Sakura kicked herself mentally for unintentionally rubbing salt into the wound.

"Well, you gotta do what you gotta do, right?" she said, laughing nervously. "You're in a really tough situation! But you're on top of everything — I'm sure none of the other Kage could handle something of this scale as well as you've been."

Kakashi regarded her with a tired expression. "Perhaps. The Mizukage and the Kazekage are both fairly well organized. I bet Gaara would —"

Kakashi stopped, staring off to the side of the room in thought. Sakura watched him for a moment. As the silence stretched on, she opened her mouth to speak, but a knock came at the door. Kakashi didn't answer, so Sakura called the visitor in instead. Her face lit up as a familiar face stepped into the room.

"Captain Yamato! You're back!"

"It's good to see you, Sakura," Yamato said, smiling pleasantly. His gaze drifted over to Kakashi, who he regarded curiously. "I just thought I should report in before heading home."

Kakashi didn't respond, still lost in thought. Sakura decided to pick up the slack in the conversation. "How long will you be home for?" she asked.

Yamato's expression was still somewhat puzzled, but his eyes drifted back over to Sakura. "Oh, at least a month. Lord Hokage assigned a group of Anbu to take over my post keeping tabs on Orochimaru for the next few weeks."

"Don't call me that," Kakashi said distractedly, still gazing across the room.

"Well that's great!" Sakura chirped as if Kakashi hadn't spoken. "I'm sure Anko will be very happy to see you."

Yamato chuckled. "Yes, I hope so. Her new job at the academy starts next month and she's been feeling a little anxious about it. Don't tell her I told you that."

Sakura put a finger over her lips with a playful wink. Yamato smiled. It had been a while since he'd been home, and it was beginning to hit him how much he'd missed it. He made a mental note to check in on Yuiko and Naruto after getting settled.

Kakashi suddenly leapt up from his seat as if it were made of senbon. He circled around his desk and planted his hand atop Sakura's head, ruffling her hair.

"You really are the smart one," he said sweetly.

Despite the knots she could feel forming in her hair, Sakura was too shocked to swat his hand away. Kakashi placed his hands on his hips as he regarded her with a joyful expression. "You up for a mission with your old Sensei?" he asked.

Sakura blinked in confusion. "Wait, what? Now? What about the wedding?"

"This is _for_ the wedding!" Kakashi said, holding up a finger. "I'm going to go ask the Kazekage in person if he would be willing to lend us some of his shinobi to act as a security detail. Then I won't have to read these horrible reports anymore!"

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Don't you mean, 'then none of Naruto's friends will have to miss the wedding'?"

"Ah," Kakashi said, waving his hand. "Yes, that."

"Uh, Lord H— err, Senpai," Yamato said. Kakashi turned to Yamato, his eyes upturned in a smile.

"Tenzō! Just the man I need. How about you join Sakura as my security detail to Suna, hmm?"

Yamato's eyes widened. "Actually, I'm not sure you leaving right now would be a very good idea. Perhaps you should just call the Kazekage."

Kakashi shook his head. "I'm going to be asking Gaara a pretty hefty favor; I don't feel that asking over a monitor will convey the level of respect necessary. No, I will need to make this request in person."

Sakura rolled her eyes. _I'm sure getting out of the office has nothing to do with it_.

"Kakashi-Sensei," she said. "I have my shifts at the hospital; I can't just up and leave."

The Hokage waved away her concern. "I'm sure Ino would be more than happy to cover for you! And it's not like you need the practice, with how skilled you are."

 _Really?_ Sakura thought, regarding her Sensei's blatant attempt at flattery.

"Senpai," Yamato said, a hint of concern to his voice, "Yuiko's due date is coming up. I don't think she'd appreciate it if you left the village right now."

This seemed to give Kakashi some pause. He closed his eyes in thought for a moment before nodding slightly. "Well then, I'll just make the trip quick. I'll be back before she knows it. Besides, her due date isn't for another few weeks."

"That's not how that works!" Sakura and Yamato shouted in unison.

Kakashi retained his cheerful expression. "Yuiko made me realize the other day that I'd been fussing over her too much, anyway. I also trust Sai to find me if there are any issues. We can get to Suna and back in two, maybe three days tops."

Sakura and Yamato regarded Kakashi is disbelief. Kakashi rested his hand in his chin.

"Now, I just need to fetch a change of clothes from home without Yuiko noticing."

As if the word "home" was a kind of beacon, swift footsteps suddenly sounded from the hall. Shikamaru's assistant ran into the room, catching his breath as he regarded the shinobi around him.

"Oh!" Kakashi said, regarding the boy. "You don't know if I happen to have a change of clothes somewhere around here, do you?"

The assistant nodded vigorously, his messy blonde hair bobbing. "Yes, Lord Hokage! I can fetch you anything you need! There is absolutely no need at all for you to go home!"

Kakashi's eyes turned up in a smile. "Wonderful. I'm going to finish up a few things here; please ready all my traveling gear for a short-term mission. I'll be leaving to meet Yamato and Sakura at the main gate in one hour."

The boy nodded curtly. "Yes, Lord Hokage." He was halfway out the door when he froze. He slowly turned to regard Kakashi. "Um, L-lord Hokage … who's going to be in charge while you're gone?"

Kakashi's brow furrowed. "Shikamaru, of course. I'm sure he won't be happy to be pulled off the exams, but he can manage."

The color drained from the boy's face. His mouth flapped a couple of times as he stared at Kakashi. He ultimately decided to remain silent, and wandered down the hall with a wild-eyed expression.

"Is he alright?" Yamato asked, watching the boy's back with concern.

"He's probably not looking forward to telling Shikamaru about his temporary assignment," Kakashi sighed. "Shikamaru can get a bit … _testy_ when you add to his responsibilities."

 _Says the man who's literally running away from his,_ Sakura thought.


	119. Chapter 119

"How the hell did you guys find this place, anyway?" Shikamaru asked, looking over at Hanako. Their group stood atop one of the tall island cliffs, gazing out over the ocean. The cliffs were made of a dazzling white stone that shone almost blindingly in the sun. Shikamaru turned slightly to look down the grassy hill at the rest of the island. It couldn't have been much larger than Konoha; about half of it was farmland, while the rest was made up of the square, white buildings the Uzumakis resided in. There was some irony in how simple their buildings appeared compared with the outrageous nature of their interiors.

"The Uzumaki clan was a nomadic group, way back," Hanako said, holding a hand on her hip as she relished the smell of the ocean air. "We used to have records in the old library with maps of all the islands our ancestors used to sail between more than a thousand years ago. As time went on, however, other nations started forming, and our ancestors were pushed out of most of their territory. All except for two islands, that is."

Hanako smirked. "This one was just too damn far out of the way for anyone else to want it. After a while, it became a testing ground for potentially dangerous and valuable techniques that we didn't want to risk anyone stealing. Legend has it that this was where the first jinchūriki was made, when Ashina sealed the Three-Tails into a man as it threatened to swallow the island whole."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. Hanako laughed. "Well, that story may be exaggerated," she said, waving her hand. "Anyway, once teleportation seals became a thing, it was natural for our clan to want to connect the two islands. The seal was finished sometime around a century ago, and during the war the clan decided to start building it up as a village, just in case we needed to evacuate."

"Convenient," Shikamaru stated. Hanako seemed to pick up on his tone.

"The attack that destroyed Uzushio wasn't the first attack our clan had ever endured," Hanako said. "We've had a target on our backs for a long time, which is why we were so eager to align ourselves with Konohagakure when the chance presented itself. But even then, we weren't safe."

Something flashed behind Hanako's eyes, but it was quickly gone. She turned slightly to regard Yuiko and Sai, who were admiring the ocean from nearby. "Come on," Hanako said, a sly grin growing on her face. "Let me show you the _real_ reason this island is so important."

—

Shikamaru Nara was a hard man to impress. But the Uzumaki clan had managed it with flying colors.

The building they had entered near the edge of the village didn't appear to be anything special from the outside. The interior seemed to be a type of canteen, with a large kitchen and a number of people sitting about eating and chatting. Many of them greeted Hanako, and almost all of them gawked at their group as they passed. Subtlety didn't seem to be an Uzumaki strong point.

Shikamaru's impression of where they might be headed was turned on its head, however, when Hanako reached out and pressed a button on the wall. A set of gleaming bronze doors opened, and Hanako stepped into the waiting elevator. The group stepped inside, and Shikamaru immediately noticed from the buttons that the building they were in seemed to have more than twenty levels, all below ground.

Hanako pressed a button for ten floors down, and regarded them with an excited grin. Shikamaru asked her where they were headed, but she only insisted that he wait and see for himself.

The elevator doors opened, and the group was met with a vision of gleaming metal, billowing steam, and a near-suffocating amount of chakra buzzing in the air. They stepped into the room, noticing that it was circular with a railing built around the edge of a large pit. Shikamaru looked over the railing. He wasn't afraid of heights by any means, but the drop still made his stomach churn. He could make out a number of floors similar to this one, massive pipes running along the walls, and workers walking to and fro.

"Figured it out yet?"

Shikamaru turned back to Hanako. She was smiling expectantly at Yuiko, whose attention was on a large pipe near the elevator. Shikamaru walked toward her, noticing that the brass pipe was inlaid with strings of text. Yuiko straightened, looking back at Hanako in wonder.

"The way these symbols are arranged ... but," Yuiko said, uncertain. "The symbols here aren't really used anymore. And this would be ..."

Yuiko trailed off, staring at the wall. "It's a ley line," she said breathlessly. Hanako seemed nearly beside herself in excitement.

"You got it!" she squealed. "I mean, of course _you_ would — I'm sure you were taught all the older sealing symbols when you were young."

"Wait, what?" Shikamaru said, looking between the two women. "A ley line? Those are just a myth."

Hanako grandly swept her arms through the air. "Well, if it's a myth, then it's one that powers all of our lighting, heating, and cooking needs on the island — and then some! Pretty handy for a myth, hmm?" She winked.

"Excuse me," Sai said. "What is a ley line, exactly?"

"It's chakra, supposedly," Shikamaru said, watching Hanako for confirmation. "The stories say that sometimes chakra can run underground in enormous rivers. Supposedly some of these chakra veins are close enough to the surface that people can utilize them for various purposes."

Hanako nodded. "Yup, that's the gist of it! They're very rare, and most of them have dried up or changed course over the years. We've figured out how to make our usage of the ley line more sustainable, and we've been living off of it for as long as we've been here."

Hanako gave the group a tour of a few levels of the ley line. It seemed that the Uzumakis had figured out a complex system of siphoning the ley line's chakra into battery seals that were then distributed among various levels to power everything on the island.

Hanako explained that the level of residual chakra coming off the ley line also made it much easier for all types of jutsu to be utilized on the island. It helped to explain the ludicrous number of seals Shikamaru had seen; although Uzumakis tended to have large chakra reserves, it would still have been inconvenient for them to live their day-to-day lives with the number of seals they had. But the ley line made the ambient chakra so abundant that it was a rarity for an island resident to get anywhere even close to chakra deprivation.

"That transportation seal makes more sense now," Shikamaru mentioned toward the end of their tour. "Yuiko was able to activate it using a minimal amount of chakra. But considering how far away this place is, it made no sense that it was this easy. I take it that the chakra coming from the island keeps the seal partially activated on your end, making the activation easier."

Hanko beamed at his observation. "Yes, that's right! The ley line really is a fascinating natural phenomenon. I could go on for hours about how we think it formed alone, but I won't talk your ear off about it."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Maybe some other time; this is actually pretty interesting."

Hanako smiled pleasantly. Shikamaru was about to ask about the utility of some of the piping when Sai spoke up from behind them.

"Where does this go?" Sai asked, indicating a large, intricately decorated door.

"Nowhere! Nothing!" Hanako shouted, quickly jumping in front of the door. She stared at the group with a wide-eyed expression before slapping her forehead.

"Ugh! Now I bet all you're going to _want_ to know is what's behind there, right?"

"Yes please," Sai said, his eyes turned up in a smile.

Hanako scratched the side of her face in embarrassment. "Heh, well," she said, "it's actually a bit of a surprise. It's something we're preparing for the celebration we have coming up for Lady Yuiko's coronation."

Yuiko's eyes grew wide. "There's going to be a celebration?"

Hanako moved away from the door, excitedly taking Yuiko's hands in hers. "Duh! It's an Uzumaki tradition to throw a big party every time a new Clan Head is chosen. They're always a pretty big deal, since normally most of us only live long enough to see one or two. We have something really special planned, ya know?" Hanako winked playfully.

Yuiko smiled awkwardly, trying to push down her guilt. But Hanako didn't seem to notice, as her attention was already elsewhere. Her eyes grew wide.

"Oh!" she said. "Just in time! I actually have some work here I need to get done, so I asked my assistant to finish up your tour of the village. Although …"

Hanako words died on her lips as Yuiko and the others turned to regard the person approaching them.

The young woman walked with a confident grace, her deep green eyes sweeping over the group. She wore a pair of blue overalls and a white top, accented by a wide belt at her waist. The knees of her pants were scuffed, and the simple brown shoes she wore were dotted with small stains of oil. The outfit would have appeared frumpy on anyone else, but style may as well have been an afterthought considering that the stunning young woman could probably wear a green spandex jumpsuit and still turn heads.

"Ai-Aiko!" Hanako exclaimed. "What did you do to your hair?!"

"Oh," Aiko said, absently running a finger through her auburn locks. "I cut it."

Aiko's hair flared out around her face, stopping short at her neck. The spikes of hair were a little wild, but they still seemed to complement her nicely.

"But you said you were going to start growing it longer last month!" Hanako complained.

Aiko scoffed. "I changed my mind. Why do you care?"

"I'm you're senpai!" Hanako said. "It's my job to worry about you!"

"Senpai?" Sai said, looking between the two women. "You seem too young to be her elder, Miss Hanako." He was simply stating a fact, but Hanako looked giddy over the perceived compliment.

"Oh no, an old hag like me?" Hanako said, bringing her hands to her cheeks. "I'm long past my prime!"

While Hanako was busy giggling to herself, Shikamaru was startled to look over and see Aiko watching him with a curious expression. A warm sensation rose up his neck, and he quickly looked away.

"Anyway!" Hanako said, finally getting a hold of herself. "Aiko here will show you a bit more of the village on your way back to the meeting house. And Aiko, make sure Lady Yuiko makes it back in time for her first council meeting, alright?"

Aiko grunted in confirmation, turning on her heel and waving for them to follow as she headed toward the elevator. Hanako sent them off with a cheerful goodbye as she disappeared behind the shining bronze doors.


	120. Chapter 120

"Looks like we missed something important," Shikamaru said. Aiko let out a small sigh, causing him to smirk.

They stood at the top of a wide set of stairs straddled by rows of white stone benches facing an amphitheater below. A few men and women dressed in colorful garb stood upon the stage, removing their animal masks as they bowed to the crowd. The audience members were doing their best to cheer amid the tears streaming down their cheeks.

"It was a children's play," Aiko said, the corner of her eye twitching. She made a show of putting on a forced grin. "That kind of stuff is real popular around here, ya know?"

"I'm sure it was a touching play," Yuiko said, watching in fascination. Shikamaru rolled his eyes, and the group started walking again as Aiko urged them along. He fought to keep a neutral expression on his face as they passed by what had to have been the twentieth ramen shop he'd spotted so far.

The people of the Uzumaki village were certainly much different from what Shikamaru was used to, although he couldn't say he was surprised. Yuiko had a knack for pushing his buttons, but out of all the Uzumakis he'd encountered so far, he was starting to count himself lucky that she was the one he was stuck with.

Many of the clan members resembled Naruto personality-wise — they were brash, loud, and generally light-hearted. Any shopkeepers they passed practically threw their wares at Yuiko and were all too happy to go into far more detail than was necessary concerning the intricacies of dried meat and sandal straps.

Aiko seemed more level-headed than most, but her Uzumaki nature seeped through in the form of the never-ending barrage of questions she hit them with between interruptions. Most of these questions were, oddly, aimed at Shikamaru. Aiko seemed to be the only person focusing on him more than on Yuiko, although that may have been because Yuiko could hardly get two words out before she was swept away by a clan member wanting her to try a homemade recipe or hold their baby.

It was when Yuiko and Sai were busy watching an artisan create a bowl out of blown glass that Aiko hit Shikamaru with another question.

"Is everything alright where you're from?" she asked. Shikamaru glanced away from his companions, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you mean by that?"

Aiko held his gaze with a steady stare. "I heard Lady Yuiko left Konoha because she has no family. But I also heard there was another Uzumaki living there, too. Why did she leave, in that case?"

"There's nothing wrong with Konoha," Shikamaru answered quickly. The absolute _last_ rumor he wanted to have going around was that Konoha was in some sort of trouble. Their relationship with the Uzumaki clan could change very quickly if they got the impression that they were being recruited to help resolve some conflict.

"Yuiko's relationship with Naruto — the other Uzumaki — is just fine. But the two of them are distant relatives. I'm sure you'd understand the appeal of wanting to find your immediate family."

Aiko's gaze softened. She turned away from Shikamaru to regard Yuiko. "Yes, I can understand that," she said softly. Shikamaru regarded her with a curious expression, and Aiko quickly looked back with a grin.

"Family and friends are super important, ya know!" she said, her voice wavering.

"Uh, sure," Shikamaru said. The smile fell from Aiko's face, and it took a more neutral expression. Shikamaru had to say it seemed far more natural that way. Pretty, even.

"Why are you here with her, then?" Aiko asked. She glanced at Yuiko before looking back at Shikamaru. "Are you –?"

"No," Shikamaru snapped. "You're about to ask if we're involved, and the answer is no."

Aiko watched him coolly. She hummed in acknowledgement before watching Yuiko once more. "Then why come here?"

"I'm helping her out," Shikamaru said. "Someone in her condition shouldn't be traveling alone."

"Someone in her condition shouldn't be traveling at all," Aiko said. "I'm surprised no one stopped her."

"Not for lack of trying," Shikamaru mumbled. Aiko studied him for a moment with a troubled expression. She seemingly made a decision, nodding.

"I'd like to see you later," she said.

Shikamaru's brow furrowed. "For what?"

"Just to talk," Aiko said.

Shikamaru felt the familiar sensation of heat rising up his neck. "No, thanks," he said.

Aiko scowled. "Why?"

"Anything you have to say to me, you can say to them," Shikamaru said, tilting his head toward his companions. Yuiko and Sai had finished observing the artisan's display and were slowly making their way back as Yuiko greeted a gaggle of onlookers.

"I want to talk to you alone," Aiko said with a frown. "Is that a problem?"

"No," Shikamaru blurted, cursing himself for not keeping his composure. "But why me?"

Aiko held Shikamaru's gaze, her green eyes looking deep into his. He swallowed hard as he fought a losing battle to look away.

"– than usual?"

"Huh?"

Shikamaru slowly turned his head. Sai was standing beside him, holding a number of random knick-knacks in his arms.

"Do you think Lady Yuiko is collecting as many gifts as is appropriate? For a Clan Head, that is," Sai said. "I thought I would ask you, since you also have a clan. Based on what I've seen, I'm considering conducting a survey once we return to Konoha — I find intera-clan relationships very interesting, having never had one myself. I suppose one could say Root was like a clan, although it was compulsory and we killed each other. But I don't think –"

"Please stop talking," Shikamaru said. He was grateful for the interruption, but was still not in the mood to humor Sai at the moment.

"Isn't this lovely?" Yuiko said, appearing beside them with a glass bowl in hand. "Shikamaru, you should have seen –"

"I'm sure it was great," Shikamaru said. "Don't we need to be somewhere soon?"

Aiko grunted, fishing a small watch out of her pocket. She glanced at it for a moment before putting it back.

"You two are due for a council meeting," she said. She strode past them for a few steps before turning about. "Please, follow me."

The group did as they were told, and Aiko dutifully parted the crowd of onlookers to allow them to pass. Shikamaru let out a relieved sigh, finding it much easier to think when Aiko wasn't looking at him. He hoped that he would find dealing with the Uzumaki council easier than dealing with someone as distracting as Aiko.

—

The tall door creaked open, and Yuiko and Shikamaru stepped outside the council room and into the shaded walkway of a large courtyard. Thick branches of wisteria tangled around the wooden arches, the bright green foliage occasionally broken up by the large, grape-like flowers hanging overhead. The two walked in silence, Shikamaru fishing a cigarette and his lighter out of a pocket.

 _Alright, how do I say this without sounding like an asshole?_

"Yuiko," Shikamaru said slowly. His companion looked over with a pleasant smile on her face. Shikamaru sighed.

"How would you say you did in there?" he asked, striving to avoid conflict. He put the cigarette to his lips as he lit the tip.

Yuiko smiled broadly. "Great!" she chirped. "I think everyone was happy with how things turned out."

Shikamaru fought the urge to groan. He took a deep breath and exhaled a plume of smoke. "Look," he said. "I'm sorry, but that isn't how running a community works. You can't always give everyone what they want, or tell everyone what they want to hear. You have to —"

Yuiko placed her hand on Shikamaru's shoulder, and his cigarette phased through his fingers, hitting the tile with a soft 'thud.'

"Seriously?" Shikamaru said, scowling at her.

"The smell makes me queasy," Yuiko said, her hand on her belly. Shikamaru sighed and put out the cigarette with his heel.

"Anyway," he said, working to keep his nerves down. "You can't go into something like this and just expect me to be the bad guy for you. Even if this is only temporary, you have to take it seriously."

"I am!" Yuiko protested. "But it's just … you said I can't make everyone happy, but that's not true! Like with that dispute about whether some of the open land should be dedicated to growing more food crops or growing plants for dyes; I just told them to split it! Everyone was happy!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "No, they weren't. They just didn't want you to see it. It's probably a deal that they're going to rework behind your back, and I can't blame them. The amount of land they were talking about is only large enough to work for one or the other, not both. And you have to consider the different growing methods needed for each crop, and if one could have a negative impact on the other. This sort of stuff isn't as simple as splitting things 50/50."

Yuiko waved away his concern. "It's not like it matters much, anyway!" she said. "I'm sure everyone's going to be happy to go to Konoha when I bring it up. You're thinking about this too much!"

Shikamaru's eyebrow twitched. He pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

"If that's what you think, then why didn't you bring Konoha up?" he asked.

"Well," Yuiko said bashfully. "Everyone seemed so passionate about what they wanted to talk about, I thought it would be rude to interrupt. I didn't want to take away anyone's turn to speak."

"You're the Clan Head, you need to be the one guiding the conversation," Shikamaru said. "These are real people with real lives and real problems. You trying to be nice isn't doing them any —"

Shikamaru paused.

"... any favors," he finished. "There are a variety of things you need to keep in mind in this sort of situation."

Yuiko suddenly felt the presence of Shikamaru's shadow as he extended his chakra. Shikamaru prattled on about collecting data to make a more informed decision concerning the land issue, but a cold concentration had appeared behind his gaze.

' _Being followed. Stay close.'_

Shikamaru abruptly reached for the handle of a door to their right, opening it and motioning for Yuiko to enter. He closed the door behind them, and they briskly made their way through the empty kitchen and into one of the large hallways of the communal space. Shikamaru had already spent the time to memorize the layout, so he knew precisely where Yuiko's quarters were. He also knew of a few wide corridors that would make it difficult for a pursuer to remain hidden. He guided Yuiko toward one such corridor as she watched him uncertainly.

"Shikamaru," she said softly. "This probably isn't necessary; I'm sure it's just Hanako or Captain Yukimura."

 _Yeah, that's what I'm worried about,_ Shikamaru thought, envisioning the imposing man.

The communal house was nearly empty this time of day, and now would be an opportune time to strike if anyone meant Yuiko harm. Not only was Shikamaru not about to let that happen, but he intended to use this as an opportunity to set a trap and get to the bottom of what had been bothering him about Yukimura.

Yuiko and Shikamaru had nearly reached the edge of a long hallway when his senses spiked. Shikamaru glanced behind him and extended his shadow along the wall. A person suddenly appeared from behind the corner, and he immediately caught the stalker in his shadow.

Aiko grunted, a few of the papers in her hands sliding off the top of the stack from her sudden stop.

"Oh yes, she's _terrifying_ ," Yuiko said dryly. "You must have a real aversion to paperwork."

Shikamaru shot her a nasty look before releasing his shadow. Aiko moved haltingly as she regained control of her limbs. She bent down to pick up the dropped papers with an irritated expression.

"Sorry about that!" Yuiko said sweetly as she made her way down the hall. "Were you looking for me?"

Aiko evened out the papers in her arms. She straightened, regarding Yuiko with a level expression.

"I was trying to catch Shikamaru," she said. "Hanako said he was interested in the chakra distribution of the ley line, so I brought over reports from the past few months for him to review."

"Oh?" Yuiko said, turning back to Shikamaru. There was a mischievous grin on her face that reminded Shikamaru a little too much of a certain orange-clad comrade. "I'm sure Shikamaru would be more than happy to spend the afternoon looking them over with you."

 _Please don't speak for me,_ Shikamaru thought, fighting to keep his expression neutral.

Aiko gave Yuiko a cordial bow before continuing down the hall.

"I can't leave you without an escort," Shikamaru said curtly as Aiko reached his side. It was an excuse, but at least it was a valid one.

"I passed Captain Yukimura on the way in," Aiko said. "He should still be nearby; he can escort Lady Yuiko to her quarters."

Before Shikamaru could protest, Aiko placed her palm flat against the wall. There was a flash of yellow light as a series of symbols lit up, and the wall faded back to white.

"What was that?" Shikamaru asked.

"A Beacon Seal," Aiko said. "Most of the rooms and hallways of the larger buildings have them outfitted. You can use them to find another person who's chakra has been added to the seal of that building. It works by the sender tweaking the seal to identify a particular chakra signature, then the seal tracks it down. Captain Yukimura will receive a beacon that lights up under his feet, and it will guide him here."

Shikamaru would have been far more impressed by the beacon if his attention hadn't been fixated on the idea of Yuiko being left unattended with Captain Yukimura. He knew he couldn't protest if he didn't want to offend the clan by openly saying he distrusted one of their more prominent council members. Yuiko, however, seemed unperturbed.

"I'll see you at dinner, Shikamaru!" Yuiko said as she waved at him from down the hall. "It's about time that I meet Sai for his lesson, too."

Shikamaru relaxed slightly. He didn't like it, but at least Yuiko fabricated a lesson as an excuse to find Sai.

"Have fun, you two," Yuiko said with a wink.

Shikamaru's irritation returned as Yuiko turned and walked out of sight.

* * *

A/N: It looks like Lightning on a Cloudless Night has recently been added to the 'Naruto OC's- All the best Original Character Fanfic's!' community! To however put it there, thank you! It's awesome to learn that people enjoy the OCs I've worked on, and I'll do my best to keep them interesting! :D


	121. Chapter 121

"And this blue here … yes, I believe that is the color of your eyes."

The girl leaned closer, her long red hair falling over her shoulders.

"You're so talented," she purred, watching Sai paint.

"Thank you," Sai said, smiling pleasantly. "Although I do find talent hard to measure. Can you tell me who you think I'm more talented than, so I can get a sense of exactly how talented you think I am?"

The girl frowned, regarding Sai in confusion. She raised her eyes to glance at the new Clan Head as the woman started to giggle hysterically.

Yuiko was sitting on a stone bench a few feet behind where Sai stood with his easel. The Clan Head had joined Sai and the gaggle of girls sitting and standing along the hill as he painted the scene of dipping valleys leading out to the ocean below. He was now working on adding the girls who lounged in the grass as they looked back at him.

While Yuiko and Shikamaru were in the council meeting, Sai had decided to amuse himself by painting a simple picture while he waited. Oddly, a group of young women arrived and showed an interest in his art that he had never encountered in Konoha — well, from anyone other than Ino. In fact, the way many of these girls leaned over him and touched his shoulders and hair as he worked reminded him quite a bit of Ino.

 _I wonder if Ino has some Uzumaki blood?_ Sai pondered.

"You and Shikamaru are quite popular here," Yuiko noted as the red-haired girl walked away to join her friends.

Sai and Shikamaru were practically a novelty next to the men of the Uzumaki clan, so it made sense, in a way. It was too bad for the ladies of Koritsugakure that Sai was already taken. And so was Shikamaru, in a way; Yuiko felt a little guilty for teasing him about Aiko earlier, but she knew that he had a thing for women with green eyes.

Sai turned his head to smile at Yuiko sweetly. "Everyone here is quite friendly," he said. "I think Naruto will be happy when he gets to meet them."

Yuiko returned Sai's smile. It wasn't going to be the surprise she'd originally had in mind, but the image of Naruto's face as he regarded the people of his clan made a warm feeling grow in her chest.

Yuiko sensed a presence and looked over her shoulder as Captain Yukimura approached. She smiled at him sheepishly. She had wandered off shortly after Aiko activated the Beacon Seal, so it probably took him some time to track her down. She rose to her feet and smoothed her deep blue dress.

"I'm headed back to get ready for dinner, Sai," Yuiko said. "You can finish up your painting, if you'd like to stay."

Without a word, Sai produced a scroll and rolled it out over the grass. He quickly placed all his equipment on top, and in a poof of smoke everything disappeared. Sai rolled up the scroll and turned about to face Yuiko with a smile.

 _He's probably worried about how Shikamaru would react if he left me alone,_ Yuiko thought.

Yuiko liked Shikamaru — she really did — but sometimes she wished he would just relax. She didn't start getting to know him on a personal level until after he started working with Kakashi, and her impression of him was that he was honestly too smart for his own good. He tended to overthink _everything_ , to the point that he stressed himself out over anything that landed on his desk. Yuiko tried to take his mind off things sometimes by popping into his office with a snack and chatting about what his friends were up to, but she only had so much time to help him in that regard. She was a little worried that the man wasn't going to have any social interaction at all after her delivery.

Yuiko continued to mull over Shikamaru as she followed Sai and Yukimura down the hill. She raised her eyes after a while, noticing that Yukimura was watching her sternly.

Yuiko was well aware of Shikamaru's suspicions toward the man, but Yukimura hadn't acted in any way that gave Yuiko clear warning bells. The way he watched her was a little odd, but she was a newcomer, so it made sense that she might warrant some suspicion. There were many people in Konoha who had regarded her that way long ago, and they meant her no harm.

"Is there something I can help you with, Captain Yukimura?" Yuiko asked pleasantly. Yukimura tensed slightly. The corner of his mouth twitched as he watched her in thought.

"Why did you come here?" he asked.

Yuiko frowned. She recalled that this was the question he had asked on the first night they had arrived. It was also a little odd that he was asking her again, since she gave Hanako an explanation that must have gotten around by now. Since Shikamaru wasn't around, Yuiko decided to risk doing a little digging.

"I was hoping to find some members of my family," Yuiko said, reiterating her lie from before. "But also," she added, "I was looking for a friend."

"A friend?" Yukimura asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, a friend-of-a-friend, to be precise," Yuiko said, chuckling. "He has dark hair and eyes, like Sai here. You haven't seen anyone else like that, have you?"

Yukimura regarded her with a frown. He slowly shook his head. "No, no one other than the Uzumakis are here, except for your … friends," he said. "Why are you tracking this man?"

Yuiko laughed nervously. "Don't worry! He's not a threat or anything. It's just …" she looked away, gazing out over the ocean as it started to reflect the orange glow of the setting sun. "It's just that … I'm trying to bring him home."

"Why?"

Yuiko turned back to Yukimura. She was somewhat alarmed by the scrutinizing look in his eye. Yuiko suddenly realized that she may have made it sound like Konoha had some sort of emergency or shortage of shinobi. Making the village look bad was the last thing she wanted to do.

"N-nothing major!" Yuiko stammered. "I mean, it's kind of major, but in a good way. A friend of mine is getting married, and I was hoping to bring the man I'm looking for to the wedding."

Yukimura seemed to regard her as if she were an idiot. "So you came to the other side of the world just to drag someone back for a _wedding_?"

"Yes," Yuiko said. She quickly caught herself. "Err, yes and no. I mean, finding my family was more important, _obviously_ , but …" she trailed off, scratching the side of her face.

"The man we are looking for is very precious," Sai interjected. "To the groom, that is."

Yukimura regarded them both with a stern expression. He didn't seem to have any more questions, and the three of them returned to the village in silence.

.

* * *

.

Shikamaru concentrated on keeping his eyes moving over the paper even though he wasn't digesting most of the information. The majority of his focus was on Aiko, who sat across from him at the small table. She held another one of the ley line reports in one hand, her eyes lazily drifting over the page. Like him, it seemed that her attention wasn't really on the report's contents. But unlike him, she seemed far more at ease about this fact.

The pair of them sat in a small study room off Koritsugakure's library, which was unlike any library Shikamaru had been in before.

The first thing that he had noticed was the general lack of books. Countless rows were nearly empty, with only small stacks of scrolls and clusters of books breaking up the barren mahogany shelves. Aiko said she was told that the library had originally been designed to hold all the works in the old Uzushiogakure library, but that the transfer had been cut drastically short by the attack. Shikamaru had been surprised to learn that the massive library had been considered too _small_ to adequately store all the works, by some counts. This made him feel an empathetic pang of sadness on behalf of the clan and the centuries' worth of information that was likely lost forever.

The second thing Shikamaru noticed about the library was the overall noise level. Most of the library's visitors seemed to be in groups, all of whom chatted among themselves as they perused the library's selections. Shikamaru had craned his neck to look up at the second-floor balcony that circled about the room. The voices of the visitors at the tables above echoed off the walls as they floated below.

Aiko seemed to find the noise level irritating, and quickly guided him to a private study room. This was where the two of them had been for the past hour, perusing the reports in near silence. Shikamaru had reasoned that he would soon be able to excuse himself for dinner without seeming rude, and decided to just run down the clock until then. Aiko didn't seem to mind the lack of conversation, but he did catch her staring at him on occasion. It was the fourth time that Shikamaru caught her, in fact, that prompted him to finally make his exit.

"Well," he said, setting down the paper. "I appreciate you showing me these. It's very interesting, and I'm sure we can talk more in-depth about the ley line some other time. I have to meet Yuiko now, if you'll excuse me."

Aiko didn't answer. Shikamaru frowned as he studied her. She was looking directly at him, but he got the impression that her attention was elsewhere. She turned her head slightly, bringing her gaze to the door.

"It seems the people in the room next to us finally left," she said. She brought her eyes back to Shikamaru. "Now there'll be no one to overhear us."

"Huh?" Shikamaru said. Aiko rose to her feet, watching him intently.

"It's still too risky to expose anything, though," she said mildly.

"Ex-expose?!"

Shikamaru scrambled out of his chair, knocking it over. Aiko scowled in irritation.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. "We need to keep this quiet."

"I think there's been a misunderstanding," Shikamaru said, quickly stepping toward the door. Aiko cut off his route, and Shikamaru flinched when the hand he had reached for the handle with brushed her waist.

"You coming here changed things," Aiko said, leaning closer. Shikamaru grimaced, recoiling from her.

"I wasn't planning on doing this," Aiko whispered. "But I knew I would have to as soon as I saw you."

"L-look," Shikamaru said, pressing himself against the wall. "I, uh, can appreciate that you're serious about this. And you … you're not …"

Aiko's eyes narrowed. Shikamaru swallowed down the lump forming in his throat.

"You're not, uh, _bad_ or anything, but …" Shikamaru coughed into his hand. "But I'm not interested in getting involved with you, sorry."

Aiko regarded him as if he were an idiot. "You're already involved," she stated.

"Sorry if I gave that impression," Shikamaru said. He pushed himself from the wall, straightening a bit under his newfound resolve.

Aiko closed her eyes with a huff. "Shikamaru –"

Shikamaru leapt up, funneling chakra into his feet as he stuck to the wall of the study room. A bright green object was glowing on the floor beneath where he had stood. He studied it intently, wondering if it was something of Aiko's doing.

"It's a beacon," Aiko said flatly.

 _Oh, right,_ Shikamaru thought, somewhat embarrassed. It really _was_ close to dinner, and the beacon was likely from either Hanako or Yuiko.

Shikamaru lowered himself from the wall and quickly made his way to the door. Aiko stepped aside, watching him with a cold expression. He glanced back at her, pausing as he opened the door. With a shake of his head and without a word, Shikamaru closed it behind him.


	122. Chapter 122

"Ah, I missed this," Kakashi said, stretching his arms over his head as he gazed at the night sky. Yamato chuckled, stoking the fire.

"Want to trade?" Yamato joked. "I sleep in a bedroll more often than not, these days."

Kakashi's brow drooped from the resulting pang of guilt. "You know, Tenzō, I can probably find you another assignment …"

Yamato waved away Kakashi's concern. "Don't worry yourself too much over me, Senpai," he said. "I'm home often enough. Anko would tell you a different story, but if it were up to her, I'd never leave the village. But I honestly think it helps spending a little time to ourselves; we'd go crazy, otherwise."

Kakashi smiled. Knowing Tenzō's strong-willed wife, he most certainly wasn't exaggerating.

Another pang of guilt struck Kakashi as his thoughts drifted to his own wife, and what she might be doing at that moment. He only hoped she could forgive him if she found out that he'd left the village with less than a month until the delivery.

Yuiko had a tendency to hang on to things for much longer than Kakashi thought necessary, which had resulted in a handful of times when she wouldn't speak to or even acknowledge his presence for days on the few occasions they'd fought. He dreaded thinking about how long she could go making him feel like a ghost in his own home before forgiving him for something of this magnitude. Kakashi doubted that even the duties of motherhood would put a damper on her stubbornness, and imagined that she would likely act out the life of a single parent as he watched mournfully from the shadows.

 _Maybe this was a bad idea,_ he thought. He tried to focus on the more positive subject of the admirable distance they had traveled that day and the fact that their group would likely be in Suna by the next morning.

"Where's the food?"

Kakashi turned his head to look up at Sakura. She stood over him with her hands on her hips.

"Are you asking me?" Kakashi asked, pointing to himself.

"Obviously!" Sakura said, throwing her hands in the air. "Captain Yamato was in charge of the fire, I was charge of the tents, and _you_ were in charge of the food."

Kakashi sat up. He pulled over his knapsack and began to rummage through its contents. After a moment, he produced a ration bar, offering it to her.

Sakura's eyes grew wide as she bared her teeth. " _That's_ our food?!"

Kakashi shrugged. "We're in the desert."

This logic did little to convince his former pupil.

"The Hokage Tower has _rows_ of food storage scrolls!" Sakura shouted. "They all have fresh food sealed in them! You could have grabbed _any_ of those!"

"But I have these," Kakashi said, still holding out the bar.

Sakura seemed about ready to pull out her hair. She stared down at Kakashi for a few seconds before forcefully snatching the bar from his hand. She moved over to the fire, sitting next to Yamato with a huff.

Yamato gave Kakashi an incredulous look, which was only met with Kakashi tossing him a ration bar. Kakashi joined his comrades sitting around the fire, peeling back the wrapper of his own meal. He turned away from Sakura with each bite; the joke of keeping his face hidden from his students was almost a decade old now, but Kakashi still found it as humorous as ever.

The group ate in silence. Based on their occasional glares, Yamato and Sakura didn't seem pleased by the cardboard they had been asked to call dinner. Kakashi's former student was convinced that the bar was something that had been sitting in her Sensei's pack since the war.

Sakura washed down the lump in her throat with water from her canteen before bringing her focus to Kakashi. The Hokage wasn't the type to shy away from conversation, but he was normally so busy that subjects had to be dropped before Sakura could force him into a corner. It was a long shot, but maybe — just _maybe —_ she could outwit him, just this once. At the very least, he might take pity on her for the paltry meal he'd prepared.

"So," Sakura said, her voice light. "I was just —"

"Nope," Kakashi said, not even bothering to take his eyes off the fire. Sakura huffed.

"You don't even know what I was about to say!" she protested.

"Oh, but I do," Kakashi said. "And I'm not telling you, sorry."

Sakura bristled. Yamato looked between the two in confusion. His focus stayed on his senpai, whose eyes turned up in a smile.

"Sakura here thought she was going to be clever and trick me into telling her the sex of my child," Kakashi explained. "I convinced Yuiko to switch to another physician early in the pregnancy, and the mystery has been driving Sakura crazy ever since."

"It's on purpose!" Sakura shouted. "You're keeping it a secret _because_ you know it drives me crazy!"

Kakashi shook his head. "It's not all about you, Sakura." He raised his eyes to meet hers. "We're keeping it a secret because I know it drives _everyone_ crazy."

Sakura groaned, putting her face in her hands. Yamato couldn't help but to chuckle.

"Let's change the subject," Kakashi said, crumpling the empty wrapper in his hands. "How about we discuss a certain spandex-clad admirer who's been pursuing a particular pink-haired kunoichi for weeks now with elaborate bouquets and hand-written poems?"

Sakura leapt off the log as if it had caught fire.

"ARE YOU SPYING ON ME?!" she roared.

Kakashi looked at her innocently. "Of course not. I don't have the time."

"Do you send _other people_ to spy on me?!" Sakura countered.

Kakashi blinked lazily. Sakura flailed her arms about in exasperation.

"It's nothing, OK!" she shouted, her cheeks growing pink. "Lee is nice and all, but —" she cut herself short, looking down into the fire. Sakura took a deep breath, sitting down heavily. "He's nice and all, but I need a little time to myself. I've spent way too much of my life obsessing over other people. It's time for me to just focus on self-improvement."

 _That would sound nobler if you hadn't been butting into my business just now,_ Kakashi thought.

Yamato gave Sakura a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "That's a nice sentiment, Sakura," he said. "It's good that you're taking things at your own pace; you have plenty of time to figure things out."

"Thanks for the support, Captain Yamato," Sakura said. She shot Kakashi a nasty look. "It's nice having a sensei who cares, for a change."

"I care," Kakashi said, his brow drooping. "I wouldn't send the Anbu to spy on you if I didn't care."

Sakura threw up her arms in frustration. She hit Kakashi with a final scathing glare before she stood and stalked toward the tents.

Yamato let out a sigh as he watched her go. He looked back to Kakashi with a tired expression. "Why do you do that?"

"It's the little things in life, Tenzō," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile.

.

* * *

.

Shikamaru's brain was both a blessing and a curse. He was smart enough to keep his mouth shut, but Yuiko couldn't put it past him to try to get his way in another manner. She just hoped that she had rushed things along quickly enough that he'd yet to think of something.

"Please, just spend the morning relaxing," she said, trying to keep her tone light. "We should all be back by the early afternoon."

Yuiko, Sai, Hanako, Councilwoman Yuu, and Captain Yukimura all stood on the teleportation dais. Shikamaru was off to the side, squinting up at them against the morning sunlight. Well, at least that was the impression he gave off; Yuiko knew full well that it was a straight-up glare in her direction.

Shortly after breakfast, Yuiko had informed Sai and Shikamaru that a few members of the council wished to survey the ruins of Uzushiogakure to see what remained of the old library. Yuiko's presence had been requested to act as a liaison with the archaeologists, and she insisted that Sai would be perfectly capable of acting as an escort while Shikamaru got some rest.

This didn't go over well. Despite Shikamaru's protests, however, Yuiko insisted that he stay. His overall level of stress seemed to be growing by the day, and Yuiko hoped that some time off would help him to calm down.

Unbeknownst to Yuiko, telling Shikamaru to put his work on hold only had the opposite effect. Their group had left Konoha two days ago, and every passing day in which their return didn't seem imminent only raised his stress level.

Shikamaru surmised that his assistant was still covering for their absence since an army of Konoha shinobi had yet to pour through the teleportation seal. Knowing that their group had originally been searching for Sasuke, it would be a simple matter for the Hokage to track them down. And if Naruto was utilized, a recovery team could arrive in a few short hours. Shikamaru now had to deal with the looming paranoia that an enraged Hokage, Tailed Beast, and group of jōnin could come bursting through the seal at any moment.

This was a fact, of course, that Shikamaru couldn't share with Yuiko, so the only avenue he had left was to fret over her health. However, her demeanor would quickly grow icy over what she viewed as exaggerated concern, and then Shikamaru was left with little influence to talk her into doing anything.

"You know, I bet Aiko would be happy to meet you for lunch," Hanako said with a wink. An embarrassed flush grew over Shikamaru's cheeks.

"Or any number of the girls, from the way I've heard them talk," Yuu added with a chuckle.

 _Looks like he's OK with us going, now,_ Yuiko thought, hiding a smirk behind her hand as she watched Shikamaru shift uncomfortably.

"Don't worry, I'll look after Lady Yuiko," Sai said with a smile. "Try not to get fat on too many lunches, Shikamaru."

"I think you missed the point," Shikamaru mumbled. The transportation seal on the dais glowed a bright blue, and the group vanished.


	123. Chapter 123

Although it had been late morning in Koritsugakure, the sun was just barely peeking above the horizon when Yuiko's group exited the tunnels in Uzushio. There wasn't a single person in the area up until they approached the cluster of tents and the lead archaeologist spilled tea down the front of his vest in surprise.

The man nearly had a heart attack when Yuiko's group appeared — not from the surprise of their sudden arrival, but from the fact that there were now several experts who could answer his questions about the various seals his team had uncovered. When Councilwoman Yuu showed him that one of the jars they'd found had been used to hold paint, then unsealed a perfectly usable shade of bright red, the man cried over the jar as if it was his newborn child. He was apparently under the impression that the new group were seal experts Yuiko recruited from Konoha – a notion that may or may not have resulted from a quick private word with Sai.

With a promise to look over more items later, the group was able to detach themselves from the base camp and head deeper into the ruins of the city. Yukimura appeared as humorless as ever, but the normally jubilant Hanako and Yuu lost their spark as they stared wide-eyed at the ruined buildings that had once made up their home.

They paused for a short time when Yuu located the rubble that had once been her son's residence. Apparently, no one had seen him or his family during the attack, so she thought it was possible that they had escaped. Hanako gave the older woman some reassurance of this point before moving on.

"My cousin used to live right down there," Hanako said, indicating a side street as they walked by. A narrow, twisting trail had been cleared out between the collapsed structures, ending at the side of a stone building that must have stood over twenty stories tall, but now stretched into the distance like a jagged hill. Thorny green vines snaked out the empty windows that somehow managed not to be crushed. In a few more years, the resulting foliage would make it hard to tell that the area had ever been anything other than rocky terrain.

"We were thick as thieves," Hanako continued, smiling. "She used to get me into all sorts of trouble!"

Yuiko watched Hanako sadly as the woman laughed. "Do you want to go see the house?" Yuiko asked softly. "We're not in a hurry."

Hanako shook her head. "No. But thanks. She died during the attack; no need for a reminder." Hanako quickly wiped at the corners of her eyes as she looked up into the sky. "She had a little brat who'd turned out just like her. Shame that she went and got herself killed in Konoha saving someone else's hide, too. Like mother, like daughter, yeah?"

Yuiko's eyes grew wide as she regarded Hanako. "Wait," she said. "When I told you about the other Uzumakis, you didn't —"

"It hurt," Hanako said, her smile wavering. "It hurt knowing that her little girl was gone, too. But …" Hanako lowered her eyes, and a wistful look fell over her face. "Tenshina would be so proud of what Kushina did. She gave up everything to keep her family safe. They were both idiots, but the right kind, ya know?"

Yuiko returned Hanako's smile. Hanako cleared her throat and dabbed at the corners of her eyes again. "You just reminded me — did Yuu find anything in the archives about your family?"

Yuiko's smile faded. Her gaze drifted over briefly to Councilwoman Yuu, who was engaged in conversation with Captain Yukimura a few paces ahead.

"No," Yuiko said softly. "There were no missing person reports that matched my description."

Hanako hummed softly. She put a hand on Yuiko's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "But you got us now, yeah? And after your little one comes, the entire village is going to be banging on your door to wish you well. You'll have more family than you know what to do with!"

Hanako laughed. Yuiko tried to hide the guilt behind her smile; it was only a short matter of time now before she had to tell Hanako and the others the truth. She only hoped that they wouldn't be too disappointed when she relinquished the position of Clan Head and appointed someone else. What she was more worried about was how everyone would react when they found out that Yuiko was technically no longer an Uzumaki.

In Konoha, it was customary for married couples to adopt the surname of the partner from the more prominent clan. Although it had faded somewhat into obscurity over the years, the Uzumaki clan was still considered instrumental to the founding of Konoha, and was just as affluent in name as the Uchiha and Hyūga. The only reason Yuiko had joined Kakashi's clan and not the other way around was because he became Hokage and automatically shot the Hatake clan up to elite status.

Even so, the Uzumaki name wasn't far behind in prestige since Naruto Uzumaki was now a household name throughout the continent. It was practically a given that he, too, would become Hokage someday, which surely helped to play a part in the decision for Hinata to take his surname after the wedding instead of his joining the Hyūga clan.

 _So the Uzumaki clan will still have Naruto to make them look good,_ Yuiko thought. _It makes perfect sense that I would have changed clans, right? They can forgive that … right?_

Yuiko blinked, realizing with a start that she'd been zoning out. She looked up to see that Hanako was no longer at her side, but was chatting with Yuu before a large pile of rubble.

"The staircase should be here, yeah?" Hanako said, gesturing to the debris. "We could come back in a day or two with a work crew to clear it."

Yuu nodded in concurrence. "Yes, I believe that would be the best course of action. I was hoping we would at least be able to get in the underground archives to view the extent of the damage. If we ask Yukimura to help, do you think we could at least get to the door?"

Hanako sighed. "Yeah, probably. Give me a minute to do some stretches — I'm not as spry as I used to be."

"I can help," Sai said. He had been standing atop a short wall and surveying the area. He hopped down, removing the large scroll from his back.

"You want to move the rubble off this spot, correct?" he asked with a smile.

"That's right," Hanako said, watching Sai curiously as he opened the scroll.

In a few quick strokes, Sai's creation came to life. An ink beast in the form of a gorilla leapt from the scroll and landed before them. It towered over the group as it swiftly began to pick up the rubble and toss it aside.

"Ooh, impressive!" Hanako exclaimed, her eyes alight. "I've heard reports of your jutsu from the apprentices, but this is the first time I've seen it. The application is amazing!" She reached out a finger to poke the drawing, giggling in delight when she pulled it back to scrutinize the ink on her finger.

Within a few minutes a large square tile was just visible underneath the dust. Councilwoman Yuu knelt before it and gingerly placed her fingers against the stone.

A seal shone in bright yellow light, and a line formed down its middle. The two halves of the tile parted as it opened upward, dirt trailing down the sides as it revealed a dark chamber. The group leaned over the opening to see that the first few steps of a staircase were visible before the rest faded into shadow.

"Do you think it's safe to check it out?" Hanako asked. Yuu pondered this question for a moment. The older woman's violet eyes came to rest on Yuiko.

"I believe you should stay here, Lady Yuiko," Yuu said. "Hanako and I most likely won't be able to get far if there are any blockages, but I still don't want to risk your well-being."

Yuiko opened her mouth to protest, but quickly shut it. She wanted to say that she could phase if there was any trouble, but Shikamaru had been adamant about keeping that ability hidden from the Uzumakis in case she needed to get out of trouble in a hurry. As unnecessary as she believe it to be, she had made a promise and didn't want to break it.

Instead, Yuiko smiled, looking to Sai. "You can go with them, if you'd be alright with that," she said. "I bet you could help clear out any cave-ins and fly them out quickly if something happens."

Sai's expression didn't change, but from the way he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, Yuiko could tell he was uncertain. She waved her hand in a carefree manner.

"It's alright, I don't mind being up here by myself for a little bit," she said.

"Oh, no, not alone" Yuu said quickly. "Captain, you wouldn't mind staying here with Lady Yuiko, would you?"

Captain Yukimura didn't seem thrilled by the suggestion, but he gave a curt nod.

Sai schooled his features, but continued to watch Yuiko attentively. He opened his mouth, stopping himself short when Yuiko held up her hand. She smiled, giving a small nod. Sai returned it hesitantly. He turned to face Hanako and Yuu, who were adjusting their long skirts as they started down the dark steps. Hanako had produced a small lantern from one of the seals on her dress, which she used to guide them as they descended. Yuiko cheerfully wished them good luck, and watched the small light retreat into the darkness before being swallowed whole.

Yuiko raised her eyes to see Captain Yukimura watching her intently. Her face grew pink in embarrassment, and she quickly looked away. The two of them stood silently for a few minutes as Yuiko feigned an intense interest in a broken bowl near her feet.

"What does this place mean to you?"

Yuiko looked up in surprise. Yukimura was regarding her with a cold expression. Acting on an instinct she hadn't felt in a while, Yuiko averted her gaze; no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't seem to work up the courage to look Yukimura in the eye.

"Th-this place?" Yuiko asked.

"What does Uzushiogakure mean to you?" Yukimura repeated. Yuiko raised her eyes. She scanned the broken buildings and the trees poking up among the rubble. Her attention landed on Yukimura, an icy feeling running down her spine from the intensity of his stare. Yuiko blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Nothing."

In less than a second, the rest of her brain caught her mistake. Yuiko's expression grew frantic.

"W-wait! That's not what I meant! I wasn't sure –"

"Don't," Yukimura said. He watched her without a trace of emotion. "That's probably the first truthful thing you've said to me since we've met."

Yukimura broke his gaze, looking out into the distance. "Now that you're telling the truth," he said, "tell me if you truly believe yourself worthy to lead our clan."

Yuiko's mouth opened slightly. She quickly closed it, her hands bunching the material of her dress as she dropped her eyes.

"You learned from the best, did you not?" the man asked, regarding Yuiko out of the corner of his eye. "Was Ninigi not the very best that the Uzumaki clan had to offer?"

Yuiko froze. Yukimura turned his head slightly as he watched her with a steady stare.

"Ninigi failed us."

Yuiko's eyes snapped up. She didn't bother trying to mask the shock across her face. Not a single Uzumaki had yet spoken ill of her grandfather. In fact, she had heard nothing but the highest praise. The Ninigi Uzumaki her clansmen spoke of in their stories, however, seemed to be a completely different person than the one she'd known. His legacy was nothing more than a fairytale as far as she was concerned. Up until now, she had pushed down the ugly feeling bubbling in her chest as she nodded and smiled in agreement as those around her sang his praises.

"He …" Yuiko said, her voice wavering. Her hands balled into fists as she fought to keep herself composed. "He was not the man from the stories."

A sense of relief that Yuiko had no idea was coming washed over her. It was amplified by the knowing nod Yukimura gave her.

"He was supposed to be our savior," Yukimura said. He closed his visible eye for a moment, and Yuiko was suddenly aware of just hold old he was. The Captain looked far from it, but from what she had heard, he was probably approaching one hundred.

"Ninigi was a beacon, a shining light of hope," Yukimura continued, opening his eye. "That was his gift: He could instill courage in all of us, make us believe that together we would always come out on top."

Yukimura tilted his head back to look into the sky. His eye tracked a flock of seagulls in the distance. "I believed in him probably more than anyone else," he said. "We were like brothers; I had watched him become something I could never be as I grew alongside him. I knew that I didn't have the talent to bring people together, but what I _could_ do was support his ideals as he became our youngest-ever Clan Head."

The pair stood in silence for a moment. Yuiko's expression had grown pensive as she listened to Yukimura. It was like a shell had fallen away, taking with it a piece of him that had once made him seem whole. There was something missing now that she was having trouble placing.

"You were trained by Ninigi," Yukimura said, making Yuiko flinch. He turned his head to regard her. "But you were not trained by the Ninigi that we need."

Hot tears formed at the edge of Yuiko's vision. "I … I'm trying."

Yukimura's gaze hardened. "I was listening very closely when you told us what happened during the last war and the disaster with the Moon. Can you tell me honestly that you could confront threats of that nature and keep your people safe?"

Yuiko looked back at him in disbelief. "A-alone?" she stuttered. "I couldn't –"

"That is why you are not suited to lead," Yukimura said flatly. Yuiko clenched her jaw, her expression hardening.

"No one can, by your standards!" she said, her voice rising. "Not even the people who _did_ handle those threats did it alone!"

"No," Yukimura said. "But I'm sure some of them at least believed that they would if they had to. They were willing to give everything, push themselves farther than ever before, in order to succeed. You do not have that drive."

Yuiko's shoulders shook. She couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

"You don't know that!" she shouted, taking a step forward. "You don't know what I had to do to get here!"

Yukimura watched her passively. The memory of her grandfather watching her with the same flat expression flashed before her eyes.

"I'M NOT LIKE HIM!" Yuiko yelled, squeezing her eyes closed. "I'm not dead inside! I have things to fight for — to move me forward!"

Yuiko brought her hand to her chest, twisting the material of her dress in her grip. She took short, shallow breaths as she worked to compose herself.

"Then show me," Yukimura said. "Show me that the tale you told of the woman who fought alongside her comrades and saved this world isn't just fantasy. I have yet to meet her."

Yuiko took a deep breath, using the back of her arm to wipe tears from her face. As her vision cleared, she brought her gaze to meet her companion's.

"I will do what is best for our clan," she said softly. "You can hold me to that."

Yukimura didn't react. He watched her for a moment before finally nodding in acknowledgement.

"I'm glad," he said, turning to look out over the rubble and ruins. "I need something new to believe in."


	124. Chapter 124

"Could you try listening for a change?" Shikamaru said, pinching the bridge of his nose. He sat crossed-legged on the floor of Yuiko's suite with a stack of papers at his side. Yuiko sat opposite him on the couch, chatting with Sai about the latest chapter in the book they were reading.

Yuiko sighed, bringing her attention back to Shikamaru. "Shikamaru, I told you my decision. If any of the Uzumakis out there wish to return to the clan, then they can have their old jobs back!"

There had been a clan meeting shortly after Yuiko and the others returned from Uzushiogakure that afternoon. One of the subjects had been concerns over what to do with returning clan members once they came back. It was a topic Shikamaru had asked the council to sit on since the progress he was making with Yuiko on the issue was painfully slow.

"You're not listening to me," Shikamaru grumbled, looking up at her. "You can't do that. It's been over three decades; the state of the clan is much different now than it was before. The size of the clan is only a fraction of what it used to be, and they don't even use money since there's an abundance of resources. Sure, maybe some people will be disappointed if they have to learn a new trade, but that's life. And who knows how things are going to shift around if the clan comes to Konoha like you've wanted?"

Yuiko frowned. "People shouldn't feel unwelcome coming back to their homes," she said. "I don't want anyone to feel out of place after finally being able to see their loved ones again. They should be able to pick up where they left off and get reacclimated as soon as possible. It's only fair that they can go back to their old life after having been away for so long."

"This isn't a game," Shikamaru growled. "Not everything in life can be fair. Would you please just take a moment and actually think about what I'm saying? You're not even listening."

"Yes, I am," Yuiko said coldly. "I'm doing what I believe is best for the clan. And for the record, I've always been listening, but –"

Shikamaru cut her off with a laugh. "Ha! Oh, really? You've been listening? That's an interesting thing to say, because I could swear that you've been ignoring my advice at almost every turn."

Yuiko's shoulder's stiffened. Sai shifted uncomfortably as he glanced between Yuiko and Shikamaru.

"Um, maybe –" Sai started.

"I ignore your advice because you're so negative about everything!" Yuiko snapped.

"I'm not negative; I'm a realist," Shikamaru countered. "And I get that this whole situation is a lot for you, but you need to take off the blinders you've had on since we've arrived here. Something is going on, and you've blatantly been ignoring everything I've said about it."

"Is this the thing about Captain Yukimura again?" Yuiko asked flatly.

"You _know_ there's something suspicious about him," Shikamaru replied.

Yuiko threw up her hands in exasperation. "He's not a bad person! Not everything is a conspiracy, Shikamaru! These people are normal! They know how to relax, and laugh, and have a good time. Or is that the thing you can't seem to understand?"

Shikamaru scowled. "I'm being serious because at least one of us has to," he spat.

"Why?" Yuiko exclaimed. "Why can't you just relax? This isn't a mission, and there aren't any enemies! We're doing work here, yes, but we're only laying the groundwork. You're trying to scrutinize every little thing, every little comment that anyone makes, and twist it into something more complicated than it needs to be. Just take a step back!"

Shikamaru got to his feet, balling his hands into fists. "How would you know how I think? You hardly even know me, alright?!" he shouted. "I've changed. I've changed since …"

 _Since Asuma-Sensei died._

Shikamaru shook his head. "I have responsibilities now. _You_ have responsibilities now. And over the past few days it's become painfully obvious that you have no idea what you're doing and you don't even care to learn. You're going to be a mother soon, so it's time to stop acting like a child and _grow up_."

Yuiko slowly rose to her feet. She took a step forward, putting her face inches from his. Shikamaru stood his ground, meeting her furious expression with a steady glare.

"Don't you _ever_ say anything about my ability to be a parent," Yuiko said softly. "You have no right."

"And you have no right to assume who I am," Shikamaru said, holding her stare. "You also have no right to call yourself a Clan Head."

Yuiko's hands shook as she balled them into fists. "Get out," she whispered.

Shikamaru huffed, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he turned away. "Gladly," he said. "Find yourself another adviser, because I'm going home."

.

* * *

.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Yamato mused.

"Shikamaru, most likely," Kakashi said.

The Kazekage's sister, Temari, had volunteered to escort their group to the village entrance after Kakashi's meeting with Gaara. She and Sakura walked a few paces ahead, whispering to each other.

The group leisurely strolled down the streets of Suna. The mid-day sun shone down on them, causing Yamato's scalp to sweat from the heat conducting in his visor. Suna was a beautiful village with its sloped buildings and neutral tones, but the heat was something Yamato could easily live without.

"Why Shikamaru?" Yamato asked.

"Oh, he and Temari have had a 'will-they-won't-they' situation going on since the end of the war. Their letters to each other are precious."

Yamato glanced at Kakashi, aghast. "You read _their letters?_ "

"I read anything that comes through the Hokage tower," Kakashi replied, his eyes ahead. "It's my duty as Hokage to know the affairs of my citizens."

"Not to _that_ extent!" Yamato exclaimed.

Kakashi shrugged.

Yamato exhaled, fighting off the urge to ask his Senpai how much he knew about his own affairs. He decided that he was better off not knowing.

"The meeting was quick, at least," Yamato said instead.

"Ah," Kakashi nodded. "I didn't even need 10 minutes to convince him. Gaara was willing to lend us aid as soon as Naruto's name came up."

"I figured that would be the case," Yamato said with a chuckle. "It's almost as if this whole thing could have been done over a simple video call."

"But then we wouldn't have been able to get out and stretch our legs, hmm?" Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile. "It's a rare enough opportunity for me as it is."

Yamato frowned, watching Kakashi intently. "Senpai?"

"Do you remember how it used to be, Tenzō? When the only things we had to worry about were mission objectives and staying alive? Back when we could shut out the entire world if it didn't concern us or our teams?"

Kakashi continued to look ahead with a carefree expression. Yamato regarded him uneasily.

"Do you … miss those times, Senpai?"

Kakashi glanced at him, raising his brow. "Of course not," he said. "I supposed I miss a bit of the freedom, but I would trade that away in a heartbeat for what I have now."

"Then why did you bring it up?" Yamato asked.

Kakashi chuckled. "I just find it interesting, how different our lives are now compared to the Anbu. I wondered if maybe you felt the same."

Yamato's expression softened. "Yes, I suppose it is a stark contrast. Part of me never thought I'd live this long, much less find myself existing in a world of peace. I never thought I'd see you this way, either."

"Oh?" Kakashi smiled. "Was I really in such a sorry state?"

Yamato laughed. "I think you know the answer to that question, Senpai."

Kakashi nodded. The two walked in silence as they passed under the long shadow cast by the cliffs surrounding the village. A thought struck Yamato just as they were entering the wide passage leading them to the desert.

"You know," he said. "I haven't even asked how you're feeling about your looming parental responsibilities."

"Terrified," Kakashi replied quickly. "But everyone says that's normal. I'm having a hard time deciphering whether that's true or if they're just trying to appease me."

"Ah, the downside of being in charge," Yamato smirked. "It's hard to tell when someone's trying to suck up to you."

Kakashi sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Yuiko doesn't seem nervous at all," he said. "She says there's no way a child of ours could be any more difficult than Naruto was."

Yamato let out a surprised laugh. "Really? I nearly forgot about that."

"Ah," Kakashi nodded. "She has no idea if it was because of the Nine-Tails, or simply the fact that he was Kushina's son, but she said raising him for that first year took at least a decade off her life."

"I can't say I'm surprised," Yamato chuckled. He regarded Kakashi warmly as the Hokage continued to nervously run his hand through his hair.

"You'll do fine, Senpai," Yamato said. Kakashi dropped his hand with a sigh, but returned Yamato's smile.

"At the very least, put faith in Yuiko not to mess anything up," Yamato said.

"You were doing really good there until the end, Tenzō," Kakashi sighed. Yamato smiled as his Senpai gave him a grateful pat on the shoulder.


	125. Chapter 125

"Sorry for the intrusion!" Hanako said. Yuiko stood in the doorway of her suite, looking downcast. Hanko frowned.

"I know we had a meeting only a little while ago, but I just wanted to go over a few things for the coronation ceremony the day after tomorrow. Would you and Shikamaru be able to meet for a few minutes?"

"Shikamaru is no longer my adviser," Yuiko said softly.

"Whaa?!" Hanako exclaimed. She quickly collected herself as Yuiko winced.

"I … I mean," Hanako stammered, "That's too bad. Is he alright?"

"He's …" Yuiko's voice trailed off as she stared at the ground. "He's not injured."

Hanako studied Yuiko with an uncertain expression. She seemed to make up her mind and nodded.

"This is technically not supposed to happen until after the ceremony," Hanako said, prompting Yuiko to raise her eyes. "But it sounds like you could use a little advice. Can you spare some time?"

Yuiko seemed uncertain, but she slowly nodded. She turned back to look into the room, regarding Sai. "I'll be back soon," she said.

Sai stood from the couch. "Take your time, Lady Yuiko," he said. "I have to run an errand, anyway."

It was painfully obvious what this "errand" was, but Yuiko didn't protest. She was sure that Sai would be wasting his time, but she was done with arguing.

"Come on," Hanako smiled, taking her hand. "You're gonna love this!"

–

Yuiko had toured the library on her first full day in the village, but Hanako guided her to a wing she had never noticed before. The hallway was much narrower than the others in the hulking building, and it led to a simple door at the end. Hanako placed her palm against the door, and a seal appeared in a flash of yellow light before fading. The door swung open, and Yuiko blinked as bright sunlight filled her vision.

The room was semicircular, with the curved part made up entirely of windows that stretched from the tall ceiling to the floor. The space was larger than Yuiko had been expecting; it seemed to be a completely separate wing. Tall bookshelves reached to the ceilings with rolling ladders set off to the side. Like the rest of the library, the shelves were mostly empty save for a few clusters of scrolls. At the center of the room stood a rectangular table carved from stone. It was taller than average, which indicated that it was designed to be used standing.

Hanako walked up to the table and knelt before it. She placed her hand on the floor, and in a poof of smoke a small red chest appeared beneath her fingers. Hanako picked up the chest and placed it on the far side of the standing table. She turned about to regard Yuiko with a smile.

"This wing is only for Clan Heads and members of the council," she said brightly. She indicated the chest with a flourish. "And _this_ is only meant to be used by the Clan Heads. I'll make sure you're not disturbed, so take as much time as you need."

Yuiko watched Hanako with a perplexed look as the woman strolled past her toward the door. Hanako shot her a final smile before shutting the door behind her. Yuiko stared at it for a moment, confused, and then slowly turned back to the chest. She took a few tentative steps toward the table before cautiously raising her arms. The red leather casing of the chest crinkled slightly under her fingers as she opened it. Her brow furrowed when she regarded the four scrolls within. Each one had only a single word written delicately on its exterior. Her eyes scanned over the paper, pausing as she regarded the last two scrolls.

' _Ashina'_

' _Ninigi'_

Yuiko's brow shot up.

 _These are the former leaders of the clan._

Hanako had mentioned getting advice before; she must have meant that all the former clan heads had written down some sort of messages for the leaders that followed them. Yuiko was surprised that there were only four, but perhaps that was all the clan had been able to save during the attack.

Yuiko's eyes focused on the last scroll. Obviously, her grandfather had penned the message sometime before the village was destroyed. She had no idea how long he had been Clan Head, but it had to have been at least 50 years.

Yuiko reached out to grab the one next to it. She had no interest in reading what her grandfather wrote. Her memories before coming to Konoha were filled with sadness, loneliness, and pain. Kokuō was the only thing that provided her with any happiness during that time. She couldn't care less about her grandfather's thoughts.

Her hand wavered.

 _No,_ she thought. _No, I don't care at all._

Yuiko stood frozen as she stared at the back of her hand. Finally, her curiosity got the better of her and she moved it aside, grabbing Ninigi's scroll. She lifted it from the chest and placed it upon the table. Her fingers shook slightly as she grasped the loose paper at the edge. With a deep breath she unrolled the scroll fully upon the table.

Yuiko frowned. The scroll was completely blank.

As if a switch had been flicked on, the floor beneath Yuiko's feet erupted in a blinding, white light. Yuiko shielded her eyes, taking a few steps back. She could make out the outline of some sort of seal that circled the table – the symbols creeped up to its center until the scroll and the entire table were alight. There was another flash, and in an instant a figure stood with its back to her.

The man turned about, blinking in confusion. He looked to be around Yuiko's age, although looks could be deceptive among the Uzumakis. His long, vibrant red hair was pulled up in a high ponytail held by a short golden ribbon. He was dressed in grey and black armor finished with a red cloak in a similar fashion to Captain Yukimura, but the armor and cloak had enough golden adornments to give the impression of it being ceremonial.

The man's face broke into a wide smile, and his green eyes sparkled as he regarded Yuiko.

"Oh wow, this is amazing!" he shouted, his eyes darting around the room. "It's only been a second, and here I am!"

The man spread his arms wide as he walked about the table. He reached for a scroll on a nearby bookshelf, picking it up. He laughed in delight.

"There's even enough chakra here to give me a physical form!" he exclaimed. "We must be in Koritsugakure — the ley line is the only thing that would have enough 'oomph' to do that!"

Yuiko flinched as the man spun about and put his face inches from hers. He smiled coyly as he studied her.

"You have my congratulations on becoming the Clan Head," the man said. "Although you must be a bit of a masochist to volunteer to run a clan when you're nearly due to pop out a little one!"

The man laughed, waving his hand. "I'm joking, of course! I'm sure you're very qualified."

He smiled broadly, crossing his arms. But his smile wavered slightly as he noticed Yuiko's expression. She was staring at him with eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"You …" she said, her voice trailing off. "You can't be … who are you?"

The man frowned, tilting his head. "Did they misspell my name on the scroll or something? That's happened before. It really isn't _that_ hard …"

The man grumbled, making his way to the table. His body flickered slightly as he picked up the edge of the scroll to study the name written on the outside.

"Nope, that's it," he said, gingerly placing the paper down.

"Gr-grandfather?" Yuiko gasped. Ninigi's eyebrows shot up.

"Grandfather?" he said. "Wow, uh, I didn't think I could have kids. I guess that's the miracle of life — wait."

Ninigi crossed the room, excitedly grasping Yuiko's hands. "So you're my granddaughter?! This is great! You gotta tell me all about yourself! Oh, and your grandma — was she a looker? If she was as beautiful as our granddaughter, then I bet she was!" Ninigi exclaimed with a laugh.

Yuiko slowly pulled her hands from his grasp. Ninigi watched her fondly as tears began to fall down her cheeks. He knew that the scroll in which the piece of his chakra had been sealed could only be accessed on one condition – his death. It was probably hard for her to be speaking to him again after his real self passed away.

"You …" Yuiko said, her voice shaking. "I hate you."

.

* * *

.

"Did you forget something, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru turned, regarding Sai with a scowl. Shikamaru was standing at the center of the teleportation seal, one hand stuffed in his pocket while the other fidgeted with a metallic lighter. A soft 'clink' drifted through the air as the lighter's cap snapped open and closed. Shikamaru had been staring down at the seal when Sai arrived on the hilltop.

"I'm still figuring this thing out," Shikamaru said, turning away.

"You're a poor liar, Shikamaru," Sai said. Shikamaru huffed.

"Fūinjutsu isn't my specialty," Shikamaru said. He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and brought it to his lips.

"My opinion is that you don't actually want to leave," Sai said. He smiled pleasantly as he descended the steps toward the dais.

"Yeah, well, you're entitled to your opinion, even if it's wrong," Shikamaru said. He lit the cigarette, holding it between his fingers. He regarded it solemnly as he watched the smoke rise from the tip. "Why the hell are women so troublesome?"

Sai tilted his head. "I have come to find that many people can be 'troublesome,' not just women," he replied. Shikamaru sighed.

"I don't get it," Shikamaru said, turning to look down at Sai. "Yuiko drops every sense of logic as soon as something isn't 'fair.' Hell, she won't even take it when people treat her differently for being pregnant. She's like a bleeding heart to the extreme."

Sai watched Shikamaru has he took a drag on his cigarette. "Lady Yuiko doesn't like being treated differently," he said. "She also doesn't like it when other people are treated differently."

"That's literally what I just said," Shikamaru grumbled.

"It seems you should know that about her by now," Sai said, "since you two are friends."

Shikamaru chuckled. "Acquaintances, maybe."

"You two have lunch together quite often," Sai said. "Isn't that something friends do?"

"No," Shikamaru countered. "We don't 'have lunch.' There are times when I'm working, and she barges in and bugs me by trying to distract me from my work."

"Perhaps she noticed that you wouldn't take a break if she didn't," Sai said.

Shikamaru frowned. He tapped the edge of his cigarette to shake free the ashes. "What does that even have to do with anything?"

"Most people in the Hokage Tower take their lunch with friends," Sai said. "Lady Yuiko noticed that, and made sure you were no different."

Shikamaru closed his eyes with a sigh. "Look, I get that she had good intentions. But that doesn't excuse her from being so damn stubborn."

"Lady Yuiko is the most stubborn person I know, aside from Naruto," Sai agreed. "It can make some interactions with her unpleasant, but she is still my friend. Just like you are still my friend, despite all the unpleasant interactions."

Shikamaru raised his brow. "You make it sound like a lot."

Sai reached into a pocket, producing a small notebook. "I think I have an exact number here," he said. "Let's see, where is your entry …"

"I don't want to know," Shikamaru said quickly. Sai lowered the notebook.

Shikamaru dropped his cigarette and crushed it under his heel. "It's a lot of trouble dealing with someone who won't listen to reason," he said with a shrug. "Even people who would get themselves all worked up over emotions like Ino or Naruto are better at coming around. I just don't know what Yuiko's problem is."

Sai studied Shikamaru for a moment. He shifted his weight, and Shikamaru surmised that he was struggling with something. He seemed to make a decision, and Sai climbed the short steps of the dais to stand before Shikamaru.

"I'm sure you are aware of the seal decree Lord Hokage made soon after returning from his honeymoon," Sai said.

A hard line formed between Shikamaru's brows. "Yeah, I am. If it wasn't for Neji that thing could have been a disaster."

Shikamaru was referring to the decree that Kakashi had presented soon after taking office that would forbid any kind of harmful seal to be placed on a citizen of Konoha, barring those who were in custody. Since Root had been disbanded, it was clear that this decree was targeted specifically at the Hyūga clan.

The talks teetered back and forth for weeks, and some worried that the clan might be torn in two between the traditionalists and those who were ready to do away with the Caged Bird Seal once and for all. Shikamaru had advised Kakashi to back down and let the clan work it out more organically over time. He was worried that the conflict could lead to part of the Hyūga clan leaving Konoha altogether. But Kakashi stood firm in his resolve to pass the decree despite protests from members of the council and the Hyūga clan alike.

Luckily, Neji's acts of bravery during the war – including his support from Hinata and her father – ultimately helped to convince most of the clan that it was time to finally do away with the seal. Some of the branch members, surprisingly, desired to keep it, and their wishes were allowed. However, from that day on, no harmful seals were to be placed on any members of the Hyūga clan. A little over a year had passed since then, and although the divide between the two halves of the clan still existed, they were slowly starting to come together.

"The decree was Lady Yuiko's idea," Sai said. Shikamaru's brows shot up in alarm.

"You have to be kidding," he said. "Is that why Kakashi was so insistent? That thing could have caused the council to oust him as Hokage if the Hyūgas defected."

Sai nodded in concurrence. "Yes. Like I said, Lady Yuiko can be very stubborn."

Shikamaru sighed. "But?"

"But," Sai continued, "Lady Yuiko knew full well what it was like to be under a seal like that, and she didn't want that for anyone else."

Shikamaru frowned. "You mean that seal containing the Tailed Beast?"

Sai shook his head. "Remember on the day we came here, when Lady Yuiko had to demonstrate that blood seal on Miss Hanako?"

The image of Yuiko's eyes flashing in panic as her face grew pale jumped to the forefront of Shikamaru's mind. He had been standing right beside her, and yet he had barely been able to make out her response.

' _I can't … I can't.'_

Shikamaru nodded slowly.

"Well," Sai said. "That was a seal used to control a person, similar to the Caged Bird Seal, and the seal that we had in Root. However, when Lady Yuiko described it to me once, it sounded more restrictive."

"How so?" Shikamaru asked, disbelief washing over his face.

"It compels those under its control to follow all orders of the seal caster, and it causes great physical pain, or even death, if they don't comply," Sai said simply. "Root had something similar, but without the pain aspect, so it could be fought. I'm thankful that Lord Danzō didn't have the means to do the former."

Sai dropped his eyes. "Lady Yuiko had to live with this seal up until the day of her grandfather's death. She was not allowed many liberties, but it seems that the thing that hurt her the most was that her grandfather ordered her never to speak to another person. She never said a single word to anyone else until coming to Konoha."

Shikamaru dropped his head, massaging his brow. "So she didn't get to be a normal kid. She was different."

"Yes."

Shikamaru closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "She can't even make it easy for me to be mad at her," he mumbled.

"I think you were right, if it means anything," Sai said. "Lady Yuiko was being unreasonable."

"But now that I know why, I feel like an asshole," Shikamaru said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Lady Yuiko seemed very sad after you left," Sai said. "I think she is also sorry about what she said."

Shikamaru nodded, stuffing his hands in his pockets. His brow suddenly loosened and he looked up to regard his teammate.

"When did you get so good at talking to people?" he asked.

Sai smiled. "I don't think I'm very good, actually. I just think you're very bad."

 _There it is,_ Shikamaru thought. He reached out to give Sai a pat on the shoulder.

"Come on. I've got things I don't need to do."


	126. Chapter 126

_Alright … Alright … Pregnant woman crying. Think, Ninigi!_

Ninigi blinked down nervously at Yuiko. Tears were streaming down her face, and she was staring at him with a level of hatred he had never experienced before.

 _She's grieving, right? Of course!_

"Ah …" Ninigi said, forcing a smile. "I'm sorry that grandpa had to leave you. I'm sure he – I – loved you very much –" Ninigi faltered, recalling that he hadn't yet learned the woman's name.

"Err, um, _pumpkin,_ " he finished awkwardly.

Yuiko barred her teeth. "You _NEVER –"_

She stopped short. Ninigi reached out to pat her shoulder, but Yuiko leapt back with a surprising amount of speed considering her condition.

"You … you were all I had," she said, fighting to keep her composure. "You were everything to me. How could you do that? How could you put a restraining seal on me?!"

Ninigi, who had awkwardly been bunching his cape in one hand, froze. He looked back at her in disbelief. "W-what? No … I wouldn't –"

"I was a _CHILD!_ " Yuiko screamed. She held one hand over her stomach, as if trying to guard it. "But you treated me like a wasn't even human! You said I couldn't speak to anyone but YOU! I couldn't run unless YOU said so! I couldn't phase unless YOU let me! I almost died when I tried to eat before you said I could!"

Ninigi shook his head, watching her in horror. "I didn't! I would never do that to someone — _anyone!_ I hate that seal — it's been forbidden since the end of the war. You must be …"

The hand on Yuiko's stomach clutched the material of her dress, and her free hand balled into a fist. Ninigi backed away a few paces. Being a construct of pure chakra, he wasn't sure if he could experience pain, but he also wasn't too eager to find out.

"The worst part," Yuiko said, dropping her head, "is that I didn't even know. I didn't even know how different I was, how terrible my life was, until I came to Konoha and experienced what it was like to be normal."

Yuiko laughed darkly. "How could I not have known? The only seal you ever created from scratch during our time together was one that would kill me."

Yuiko lifted her eyes, a melancholy look replacing the rage. "It's funny; Kokuō always used to tell me how bad you were, but would say, 'No, he isn't bad. He loves me. He loves me, but he just shows it differently than you do.'"

Ninigi shifted awkwardly. "I, uh … is there someone you can send a beacon to? I don't think I can get too far away from the seal –"

"But then I got older," Yuiko said, as if Ninigi hadn't spoken, "and Kushina gave me a hug for the first time in my life. And Minato ruffled my hair and made me feel seen. And Kakashi told me that my life mattered."

Yuiko let out a soft whimper, her hands falling limply at her sides. "And then I knew for sure that you never loved me. I was always a _thing_ to you. You never saw me as your granddaughter, or a child, or a person. I was a _thing."_

Yuiko walked toward him. Ninigi flinched and quickly backed away. Yuiko stayed on her course, passing him by and coming to a stop as she faced the door.

"I will thank you for three things," she said, her voice steady. "You gave me Kokuō. You brought me to Konoha. And," Yuiko turned, regarding Ninigi steadily, "you showed me how not to raise a child."

Yuiko continued to stare at him coldly for a moment before turning back to the door. She phased through it, leaving Ninigi alone.

.

* * *

.

"You shouldn't be out here."

Yuiko turned away from the cliff. Aiko stood a few feet behind, her right hand stuffed in the pocket of her overalls as her left hung limply at her side. She watched Yuiko with a impassive expression.

"I'm sorry if I worried anyone," Yuiko said softly. She turned back to regard the ocean. It stretched to the horizon, its waves sparkling in silver as they caught the moonlight. "I'm going to be out here for a little longer, though. You can tell the others that."

Aiko's eyes narrowed, but she didn't move. She let out a small grunt, looking back at the village over her shoulder.

"They'll have a heart attack if I leave you out here alone," she mumbled. She glanced back to Yuiko, growing irritated.

"Hanako told everyone to leave you alone, but it's getting past midnight. You need to come back."

Yuiko's shoulder's stiffened, and her companion expected the Clan Head to put up a fight. But Yuiko seemed to lose her conviction, and her shoulders fell in a defeated slump. She turned away from the ocean, keeping her eyes lowered as she walked over the grass. Aiko fell in stride beside her, keeping her eyes fixed forward.

"Should I be here, Aiko?"

Aiko regarded Yuiko out of the corner of her eye for a moment before looking away. "How should I know?" she said.

Yuiko nodded. "I don't really know anyone here, do I? I don't think I belong."

Aiko regarded Yuiko with a tired expression. The corner of her mouth twitched.

"You belong with your family," she said.

Yuiko let out a choking sound. Aiko regarded her in alarm for a moment before realizing it was supposed to be a laugh.

"I don't know about that," Yuiko said, a sad smile on her lips. "The closest thing I have to family here is someone who I've spent most of my life hating."

Aiko stopped. She stared at Yuiko with a quizzical expression.

"Aiko?" Yuiko said, coming to a stop to look back at her.

Aiko's gaze dropped to her feet. "It's nothing," she mumbled, and started walking again. The pair strode on in silence for some time as the houses in the distance steadily grew larger.

"What did this person do?" Aiko suddenly asked. The question was blurted out, as if she had asked it against her own better judgement. Yuiko looked at her curiously for a moment before answering.

"He was someone who was supposed to love me, to look after me," Yuiko said, running her hand over her belly. "But instead he made me feel worthless, like a wasn't human."

Aiko stared at the grass passing beneath their feet. She slowly raised her eyes to regard Yuiko.

"Sometimes people express themselves in ways that are hard for others to understand."

Yuiko's brow furrowed. The statement was one of the last things she'd expected to hear from the stoic young woman. Aiko picked up on Yuiko's puzzlement, a line forming between her brows as she looked away in embarrassment.

"I suppose that can be true," Yuiko said slowly. "I'm not sure if it is in my situation, though."

"Maybe not," Aiko said, once again staring at the ground.

Yuiko's features softened. She opened her mouth, but hesitated. A pang of guilt shot through her chest as she recalled her former adviser regarding her in contempt, but she pressed on. "Is this about Shikamaru?" she asked.

"No," Aiko said flatly. Yuiko studied the woman next to her with a sad expression. Shikamaru had mentioned off-hand his interaction with Aiko the day prior, and she had hoped that Aiko wasn't taking the rejection too harshly. But the pained look that had been sketched across Aiko's face a moment ago seem to suggest otherwise.

"You're a nice person, Aiko," Yuiko said. Aiko regarded her as if Yuiko had just slapped her across the face.

"I'm not," Aiko said quickly.

Yuiko did her best to put on a smile despite Aiko's reaction. "I'm sure you didn't have to be out here," she said, "but you still came to get me."

"Hanako asked me to keep an eye out for you," Aiko replied. "That's it."

Yuiko nodded. "Even so, I still appreciate you trying to make me feel better."

"I wasn't –" Aiko said, cutting herself short. She exhaled sharply through her nose, her expression hardening. "You asked me if I think you should be here. I told you that you should be with your family."

Yuiko frowned as she tried to discern what Aiko was getting at.

"I don't think your family is here," Aiko stated. "There's more to family than just blood."

Yuiko blinked in surprise. She regarded Aiko curiously as the young woman kept her gaze fixed ahead.

"I don't know if that's entirely true," Yuiko said. "I still have a duty to my clan."

"And there's no one you have a duty to back in Konoha?" Aiko asked. Her gaze grew stern. "You have obligations you're supposed to fulfill for them too, don't you? Are you just going to abandon them for a bunch of people you never knew?"

Aiko stopped, dipping her head down. Her voice grew soft, but there was something accusatory behind her tone that struck Yuiko unexpectedly.

"Where do your loyalties lie, in that case?" Aiko asked. She lifted her head to regard Yuiko. "Why would you ever leave if you didn't have to?"

There was an intensity behind her stare that Yuiko couldn't decipher – a hunger for something unknown. Yuiko backed away slightly, a fearful expression growing across her face.

"I … I don't –" Yuiko muttered.

"Lady Yuiko!"

The light behind Aiko's eyes snuffed out. She turned to regard Hanako as the woman jogged up to them.

"Thanks, Aiko," Hanako said, hitting the younger woman with a toothy grin. "I didn't want Lady Yuiko walking back alone in her condition."

"I got her back safe and sound!" Aiko said, her voice rising to a cheerful tone. "Can't have her alone like that, ya know? The Uzumaki's are always there for each other — Believe it!"

Aiko walked past Hanako, quickly leaving her companions without a second glance. Hanako's smile faltered as she turned to watch her go.

"That girl can be so weird sometimes," Hanako said with a sigh. She turned back to Yuiko, who was watching Aiko stride away with an anxious expression.

"We better head back," Hanako said, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb. "Sai insisted on staying up, silly thing. I told him you were fine, but he still wanted to wait. You two took longer than I expected, though, and I don't want him to worry."

Yuiko nodded, taking the arm that Hanako offered her. She kept her gaze lowered as she replayed the scene with Aiko over again in her head. Her focus kept landing on Aiko's eyes, and whatever lurked beneath their sea of green. Yuiko still didn't know what it was, but she did know that it made her feel incredibly sad.


	127. Chapter 127

"Good morning, Lady Yuiko," Sai said brightly.

Yuiko mumbled her reply as she took her place across from him at the small table. Sai placed a finger on its surface, unsealing a bowl of rice and a variety of vegetables for her breakfast before returning to his book. Yuiko picked up a pair of chopsticks and started placing the vegetables atop the rice. She glanced up at Sai and was struck with a pang of nostalgia.

Watching him read at the table reminded her of Kakashi; Yuiko's heart began to ache. All the novelty of their situation was starting to wear off, and Yuiko found herself desperately wanting to go home.

"Sai," Yuiko said, prompting him to lower the book. "The coronation ceremony is tomorrow. I think I want to go home the day after that."

"Alright, Lady Yuiko," Sai said pleasantly.

Yuiko nodded. "I'm not sure if they'll ask, but if they do, can you agree to be my adviser for the next few days?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I must decline, since the position has already been filled," Sai said, going back to his book.

Yuiko frowned. She had spent yesterday afternoon wandering about the island until nightfall, but it wasn't like she had been out of the limelight for long.

"Did they pick someone else for me?" she asked.

"I wouldn't say that," Sai said, turning the page. "Do you recall that hillside I was painting the other day? I believe you can find them there."

–

Even before their shadow fell over him, Shikamaru could sense a presence approaching. He cracked open one eye, looking up at the figure who stood above him.

"You're still here," Yuiko whispered, looking down at him in wonder.

"You're right," Shikamaru said, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly.

Yuiko studied him for a moment, perplexed. "Sai was the only one there when I got in last night."

Shikamaru's smile fell away. "You were already gone when we got back, and it sounded like you weren't looking for company. By the time I heard you come in, it was already pretty late so I figured this could wait."

"This?" Yuiko asked. She turned her head to gaze around before looking back at Shikamaru. "What are you doing?"

Shikamaru stretched, tucking his hands behind his head. He was sprawled out on the side of a large hill, lounging in the grass.

"Cloud watching," he replied, his eyes drifting back to the sky.

Shikamaru continued to stare as Yuiko regarded him awkwardly. He sighed. "Sit down."

Yuiko's shoulder's stiffened.

"I'm not asking you to sit because I'm doting on you," Shikamaru drawled. "I'm asking you to sit because I want your company."

Shikamaru's gaze moved over to Yuiko, who was looking at him like he had lost his mind. He smirked.

"Stop making this weird and just sit."

Yuiko obliged, pooling chakra beneath her feet for balance as she lowered herself beside him. Minutes ticked by in silence. Shikamaru continued to stare into the sky while Yuiko nervously pulled out blades of grass.

"I used to do this a lot, when I was a kid," Shikamaru finally said. "Back then, Chōji always sat with me. But things change as you get older; I was drifting on a cloud, and one day I fell and landed right on my ass. I had no idea how to walk, but somehow, I got up and learned to run. And I've just been running, staring at my feet and not bothering to look back up."

He glanced at Yuiko. Her expression indicated that he had clearly lost her on the allegory.

"You weren't the only one trying to get me to look up, although you were the most annoying."

Yuiko's brow furrowed. Shikamaru smiled.

"Thanks," he said.

Yuiko blinked at him in confusion. She shook her head, closing her eyes in a deep exhale.

"I'm sorry I don't listen," she said. "You're right about — well, most things. I think you're being unfair about Captain Yukimura, but I shouldn't just dismiss your concerns."

Shikamaru stretched, bringing himself into a sitting position. "I'm guilty of the same thing," he said. "You want to make the members of your clan happy. There's nothing wrong with that. All I cared about was the fact that you weren't doing what I wanted, and I didn't stop to see things from your point of view. I'm sorry for not listening to you."

Shikamaru fidgeted slightly. "And about what I said about you being a parent –"

"You didn't mean it," Yuiko said quickly. She smiled, and Shikamaru returned the gesture.

"I've put you through a lot," Yuiko said, lowering her eyes in guilt. "This entire thing … and what you said before about me telling you who you should be … that was wrong. And you've been helping me so much when you didn't have to."

"You're my friend," Shikamaru stated. Yuiko raised her eyes in surprise.

"I help my friends," he continued. Shikamaru raised his hand, holding out two fingers. Yuiko's face broke into a smile and she extended her own, their fingers interlocking in the unity sign.

"I want to go home," Yuiko blurted as they withdrew their hands. Shikamaru chuckled.

"Good, so do I," he said. "When were you thinking?"

"Day after tomorrow."

"Let's plan on that."

Yuiko's eyes turned up in a smile. Shikamaru's expression grew somber as he regarded her.

"Hanako stopped me when I was on my way out here earlier," he said. "I'm not really sure I understood her message, though. She said that there's someone called Ninigi who wants to see you in the library."

Yuiko's cheerful expression fell away. "I don't want to see him," she said flatly.

Shikamaru raised a brow. "Is there something going on? Wasn't Ninigi your grandfather? Or is this someone different?"

Yuiko looked away, regarding the grass with a sour expression. "Both, sort of," she said. "He's not … the same as my grandfather. But he's still him. And I have no intention of seeing him again."

Shikamaru hummed, looking up into the sky. "You know, my dad and I didn't always get along," he said. "We were both pretty strong willed, so we'd butt heads a lot."

Yuiko shook her head, seeing where this was going. "This isn't the same," she said.

"I know," Shikamaru said. "Sai told me about the restraining seal. But," he glanced at her from the corner of his eye, "not everyone gets a chance like you have right now. You can talk; you can listen. You might as well take it."

Shikamaru stared until Yuiko dropped her gaze. She nervously wrung the material of her dress in her hands.

"I'll come with you, if you want," Shikamaru said. Yuiko raised her eyes, smiling gratefully.

"Thank you," she said. "But … I'll be alright."

Shikamaru nodded. He stood, offering Yuiko his hand. He helped her up and gave her a pat on the shoulder before sticking his hands in his pockets. The pair amused themselves by describing the shapes they spotted in the clouds as they returned to the village.

.

* * *

.

"Done," Kakashi said, holding the log above his head. "It looks flawless, if I do say so myself."

Sakura couldn't help but giggle at the sight of the Hokage proudly displaying a vaguely baby-shaped log with a diaper wrapped around it. The two of them sat in a small forest clearing — their last mid-day break before returning to Konoha the next day.

She had requested the wooden prop from Yamato before he left to go fishing for their lunch. Sakura had made a promise to give Kakashi some hands-on training based on what she'd learned from the hospital. She had produced a cut of cloth, and Kakashi had watched her demonstrate tying on the diaper with as much vigilance as if she were disarming a bomb. After seeing her do it once, he insisted on giving it a go and created a seemingly perfect copy.

"Give it here," Sakura said, holding out her hands. Kakashi grandly handed Sakura the log. She set it down in the grass before her and ran her fingers along various parts of the white cloth as she studied it.

"Well, it looks right," Sakura said. "They don't call you the Copy Ninja for nothing."

Her sensei beamed.

"But it's wrong," she added.

Kakashi deflated. "What? How?"

"First off, this is tied far too tightly," Sakura said. She attempted to wiggle her finger in between the cloth and wood to demonstrate. The cloth held firm. "Your baby will need to breathe, Kakashi-Sensei."

Kakashi's eyelids drooped as he regarded her with an annoyed expression.

"Secondly," Sakura said, turning the log on its side, "These knots are tied so tight that it would take forever to get them undone. Let me tell you, the _last_ thing you want is to be struggling to change a diaper when your child is screaming their lungs out at two in the morning."

Kakashi shrugged. "I can just cut it off, if that's the case."

Sakura scowled. "First off, no knives near the baby. Secondly, you won't be able to reuse the diaper if you cut it, unless you're also willing to add sowing time to your mountain of other responsibilities."

Kakashi's eyes widened in astonishment. "You _reuse_ diapers?" he asked.

Sakura laughed. "Yes, you do," she said. "You wash them, then reuse them."

Kakashi looked away, a calculating look in his eye.

"You're trying to think of a way to make that Yuiko's job, aren't you?" Sakura asked flatly.

"I have a sensitive sense of smell," he replied, trying to seem innocent.

"Don't be an ass," Sakura said. "If there's one thing you _absolutely_ cannot slack off on, it's the responsibility of raising your child."

The corners of Kakashi's eyes crinkled as he smiled. "Ah, so what you're saying is that I can slack off on being Hokage then, hmm?"

Sakura huffed. "Don't twist my words around! Seriously, why do you always have to give me such a hard time?"

"Because you're the favorite," Kakashi said. Sakura's expression softened into a smile.

"And it's funny."

Sakura's expression turned sour. Kakashi chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair.

"I hope that my daughter …"

Sakura's eyes widened. _He's having a girl!_

"… or son …"

Sakura deflated in disappointment.

"… turns out like you."

Kakashi withdrew his hand. Sakura couldn't help smiling as she reached up to untangle her hair. "You really mean that, Kakashi-Sensei?"

"Of course," Kakashi said. "You're loyal and supportive. You're very intelligent and have utilized that to become a medic-nin on par with a Sannin. And above all else, you never give up on the people you love."

Sakura's smile grew wistful as she broke their gaze. Her hands fell limply into her lap. "I'm afraid that last part isn't quite true."

"It is," Kakashi said. "Your love for my wayward student isn't the same as it used to be, but even if it isn't romantic, it's still there. And I know how hard it is, loving someone that logic says you shouldn't."

Sakura exhaled deeply. "I'm glad you find it admirable," she said. "I just find it stupid."

"You don't have to see the value in it yet," Kakashi said. He picked up the log and worked to undo the ties in the cloth. "You'll get there someday."

Kakashi raised his eyes when he didn't hear a response. Sakura was looking down at the grass with a sad expression, her mind elsewhere.

"Have I already mentioned that you helped Yuiko and I narrow down names?"

Sakura raised her eyes, looking back at him in surprise. "I did?" she squeaked.

"Ah," Kakashi nodded. "We've narrowed them down to two, thanks to you. It was a big help."

"But I don't even know what I did," Sakura said. Despite this, she let a smile creep over her face.

"After the delivery, you'll know," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile. Sakura beamed as she watched her Sensei start his second attempt at tying a diaper.


	128. Chapter 128

Yuiko inhaled deeply as she stared at the door.

"We'll be right here if you need us."

She turned about, returning Shikamaru's smile. He was leaning against the wall, and Sai was standing at his side. Yuiko gave them both a nod before phasing through the door and into the restricted library wing. She took a few steps before a figure popped out from behind a far bookcase.

"Oh, I didn't sense you coming!" Ninigi exclaimed. He scrambled to unload the scrolls in his arms, struggling as a few of them fell out of his grasp. Ninigi grumbled to himself as he bent down to pick up the dropped scrolls and hastily put them in their place. He disappeared behind the shelf again and reappeared with a simple wooden chair.

Ninigi crossed the distance of the library, but stopped a few feet before reaching Yuiko. He put down the chair, and sheepishly backed up a few paces.

"Please, sit."

Yuiko pushed down her irritation and approached the chair. She sat, smoothing her dress over her belly. Ninigi made himself comfortable on a nearby windowsill, crossing his legs beneath him. He wrung the material of his pants in a nervous fashion as he watched her.

"I, um … I'm not really sure where to start," Ninigi said, looking between Yuiko and the floor. "But, well, I've been reading about a lot of things since you left yesterday. I had to ask some of the councilmembers to fetch some scrolls for me, since I can't leave this room, but …"

Ninigi trailed off, his expression solemn. "I found out what happened to Uzushiogakure," he said, staring at the ground. He slowly started to shake his head. "I never once thought that I couldn't protect it. After the war, I promised myself that I would always keep my family safe. But the attack that's going to happen — that _did_ happen — I couldn't stop it."

The former Clan Head closed his eyes. "I was so _sure_ ," he whispered. "I was certain that I would win; I never even entertained the idea that Uzushio could fall."

A waver began to grow to his steady tone. "Knowing that … I'm sure I couldn't …"

He lifted his gloved hands to regard them. "Over half," he said. "Over half of my clan didn't make it through. And then I learned that there are only two known Uzumakis outside this place …"

A tear slid down Ninigi's cheek. It welled under his chin, then faded into nothing as it dripped off his face. His shoulders shook as more tears started to fall.

"I failed again. But this time … this time it was so, so much worse. And then …" Ninigi raised his head to regard Yuiko. "… and then I failed the only other family member I had left. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Yuiko regarded Ninigi with a tired expression. "You can't apologize for what he did," she said softly. "You're like him, but you're not the same man I knew."

Ninigi roughly wiped his face on the back of his arm. "I-I know," he said. "But I'm trying to understand. I'm trying to understand how I could possibly treat you that way."

He took a shuddering breath as he regarded her. "I named you Yuiko, right?"

Surprise flashed behind Yuiko's eyes for a moment. She nodded.

"Yuiko was my adviser," Ninigi said. "My first adviser."

A wistful smile grew on his face. "She was my aunt, and the most intelligent person I've ever met. She should have been Clan Head, in my opinion, but she didn't want the position. I had to use every ounce of charm I had as her darling nephew for her to even agree to become my adviser."

Ninigi's smile widened. "She could stop a person dead in their tracks with just a look. But then she'd start to laugh, and you'd just laugh along with her. She had a way of bringing people together, and she kept us united in the face of war. We never would have come out of it as well as we did if it wasn't for her."

The smile slowly fell from his face. "She insisted on leading a defensive force against Kirigakure. Uzushio was mostly kept safe by the whirlpools, but the supply routes for us and Konoha still needed to be protected. Yuiko knew where the weakest spot on that course was, and she _knew_ Kiri would take the chance to intercept it."

Ninigi shook his head. "I shouldn't have let her go. It was against all the rules, actually — the Clan Head and members of the council aren't sent to the front lines unless it's absolutely necessary. But Yuiko insisted. She encouraged me to believe in her."

He paused, staring at the floor. "It wasn't just Kiri, as it turned out. There were Suna shinobi there, too. We never figured out if it was a coincidence, or if the two had temporarily joined forces, but the entire unit was wiped out."

Ninigi's voice dropped to a whisper. "That decision was the biggest mistake of my life."

He raised his eyes to meet Yuiko's. "I think I would have named you Yuiko as a reminder of that mistake. You would have been a constant reminder of my failure."

Yuiko held Ninigi's gaze, watching another tear fall down his cheek. She recalled the only time she ever saw her grandfather cry: The time he had taken her to Uzushio.

Her grandfather had broken down, falling to his knees among the rubble. Yuiko couldn't have been much older than six or seven, and had stood awkwardly a few feet away while watching him with wide-eyed fascination. Looking back, Yuiko hadn't been sure why he took her there in the first place.

At first, she thought that maybe he was looking for other members of their clan. However, that didn't make any sense; the two of them had traveled all over the continent for over a decade, and Ninigi never showed any interest in tracking down other members. She had concluded after a while that maybe he had just wanted to see it out of morbid curiosity. But now, watching the same man cry over the same loss almost three decades later, it made sense.

"You could never forgive yourself," she whispered. "That was why you never tried to find anyone else. You couldn't lead anymore."

Ninigi sighed. "I wish I could tell you," he said. "The attack happened decades after I embedded this piece of myself into the scroll. Like you said before, I'm not the same man that you knew."

Ninigi took a deep breath, and a determined look grew on his face. "Even so," he said, "I think I can say one thing for sure. Despite … everything I did to you, I can't imagine that I could ever change so much that I wouldn't love my granddaughter."

Yuiko's throat grew tight. She dropped her gaze to the floor, her lip quivering.

She remembered the day her grandfather died. Kushina sat by his hospital bed, holding his hand as he slipped away. Her grandfather was gazing back at Kushina, but his eyes had been slowly moving back and forth as if he couldn't quite make her out.

' _Take care of … Yuiko. She is … a good child.'_

"I can't explain the restraining seal," Ninigi said, cutting through the silence. "I'm sorry, but that's something that I just can't fathom. All I can tell you is that you have every right to hate me for it. And you have every right to hate me for whatever seal it was that I made that would have killed you. And you have every right to hate me for how I raised you."

Yuiko bunched the material of her dress in her hands. She dropped her gaze.

"I terrified you," she whispered. She raised her eyes and picked up Ninigi's confused look.

"You stopped the Five-Tails' rampage on Uzushio when you tore it from its original jinchūriki and placed it in another person."

Ninigi shook his head, grimacing. His eyes scanned her face, seemingly hoping to decipher if he was mistaken about the meaning behind her words. His shoulders slumped as her statement sunk in.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry that I did that to you."

"Being a jinchūriki was nothing compared to the restraining seal," Yuiko stated. Ninigi winced.

"I was an embodiment of everything you hated," Yuiko continued. "I was the vessel for the thing that destroyed your home, and I was named for the one who destroyed your spirit."

Yuiko slowly got to her feet. She purposefully walked across the room and stopped before Ninigi, towering over him.

"You wanted to use me as a means for your redemption," she said firmly. "You gave me knowledge to pass on to Konoha so the Uzumakis' legacy wouldn't be lost. You also created a way to indirectly kill me and destroy the beast that you feared. I've heard from a lot of people since I came here that you were the best Uzushio had to offer. It makes sense to me now — you were so egotistical that you couldn't possibly think that I was anything more than a vessel."

Ninigi frowned. Yuiko's posture straightened as she kept her eyes locked on his.

"I surpassed you a long time ago."

Ninigi's brows shot up.

"I can seal five chakra natures into a single scroll," Yuiko said. "Can you do that?"

Yuiko cut Ninigi off as his mouth opened.

"Have you ever used the Reaper Death Seal and then lived to tell about it?"

Ninigi grimaced as Yuiko brought her face to his level.

"You pulled out a Tailed Beast?" she continued, her voice rising. "I pulled out nine. You created a seal that would kill me? I used that seal to help save _everyone_."

Ninigi had backed away as far as he could, his back pressing against the window. A wild look flashed behind Yuiko's eyes as she stared at him.

"You gave up after losing everyone you loved?!" she snapped. "I –"

Yuiko paused. The fire burning behind her eyes faded. She looked away.

"So did I," she whispered. "I gave up when I lost my home, until I was dragged back. I gave up when I died, until I was dragged back. I gave up when I was lied to about how those I loved really felt about me, until I was dragged back."

Yuiko looked back to Ninigi, her gaze drifting over his face. She slowly lifted her arms, and her hands reached toward him. Ninigi didn't move an inch as Yuiko wrapped her arms around his shoulders. His eyes widened as she embraced him.

"You didn't have anyone to drag you back," she sobbed. Ninigi felt something wet fall against his neck.

"I'm sorry," Yuiko said, her shoulders shaking. "I'm sorry that you were alone."

Ninigi sat motionless as Yuiko wept. He slowly brought his arms up to return her embrace.

"I had you," he said softly. "I'm sure it meant something, even if neither of us could see it."

Ninigi made room for his granddaughter to sit beside him on the windowsill. He held her tenderly as she sobbed onto his shoulder.


	129. Chapter 129

Shikamaru trudged down the hallway, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Sai had assured him that he would stay in the library to wait for Yuiko while Shikamaru "ran his errand." Shikamaru wasn't a fan of Sai's choice of wording, but he gratefully took the opportunity to slip away nonetheless.

Yuiko had mentioned her run-in with Aiko during their walk back to the village. It may have been because Yuiko's retelling of their conversation lacked the same emotion, but when analyzing the words alone Shikamaru deciphered a message that seemed quite clear:

' _I don't think your family is here.'_

Aiko wanted them to leave; perhaps she always had. Shikamaru had let his discomfort get the better of him, which may have caused him to misinterpret what she was trying to tell him back in the study room.

' _You're already involved.'_

Shikamaru cursed himself for missing it. There was a chance that Aiko simply didn't trust outsiders and was trying to scare them off, but she may also have been trying to warn them about something. Shikamaru had been carrying around a feeling deep in his gut that indicated he was missing some vital information. All the pieces of the puzzle were there, but he was failing to put them together.

Shikamaru exited the library and walked along the short path between it and the communal building. Once he arrived, Shikamaru placed his palm against the white tile. He had spent the free time he'd had during Yuiko and Sai's trip to Uzushio analyzing how the Beacon Seal worked. It turned out to be fairly simple, once he'd figured out how to communicate which chakra signature he wanted. He'd also found that the seal could be reversed, giving him a path to another person. It was this function that he used with Aiko's name. A path of glowing yellow dots immediately appeared under his feet, and Shikamaru confidently strode down the hallway.

Shikamaru found himself entering a wing of the building that he had only visited once during his initial sweep. It seemed to hold a few offices for the council members, along with a number of empty rooms. Shikamaru knew better, however, and guessed that those rooms were most likely filled to the brim with seals holding who-knows-what.

 _More gaudy furniture, if I had to bet on it,_ he thought as he passed them by.

Shikamaru rounded a corner and stopped in his tracks. The trail of light was leading him to a solid wall. He raised an eyebrow as he reached out to touch the smooth panel. He studied it curiously, feeling around for traces of chakra.

 _There's definitely a seal here._

It wasn't a seal like the ones he had encountered so far, though. It was more intricate, and it would take him some time to figure out what it did.

"Are you lost?"

Shikamaru spun around. Captain Yukimura towered over him, his visible eye narrowing.

"Just taking a stroll," Shikamaru said, bringing his features to a casual smirk. "Is that a problem?"

"No," Yukimura answered simply. The two men regarded each other in silence.

 _What the hell?_ Shikamaru thought. _I didn't even sense him. Was he trying to sneak up on me?_

Shikamaru was acutely aware of the fact that Yukimura was blocking his only exit.

"If you have no business with me, I'm going to head back to the library," Shikamaru said, his voice steady. Yukimura studied him for a moment, but stepped back to give Shikamaru room.

Shikamaru quickly stepped past Yukimura. He could feel the other man's gaze burning into the back of his head.

 _This is really starting to get troublesome._

.

* * *

.

The receptionist on duty at the Hokage tower did a double take as a figure walked past him toward the stairs. He stared at the visitor's back, trying to make sense of what he had just seen. He then shook his head and returned to his work.

"Couldn't be."

–

Neji Hyūga strode down the long hallway, a pleasant smile on his face. He nodded amicably to a shinobi who rounded the corner going in the opposite direction. Neji didn't pay much attention to the fact that the man stopped in his tracks to watch his retreating form with a flabbergasted expression. He was in too good a mood to care.

All of the major preparations for Naruto and Hinata's wedding were set. The Yamanaka flower shop was going to get peonies in the blush-pink color Hinata loved. Naruto had given his approval of the catering selection, admitting that the food was amazing despite the lack of ramen. The tailor had adjusted Hinata's robes to fit her more comfortably while still setting properly. The band had found a backup flute player just in case the head cold their current one had come down with persisted. And as luck would have it, the weather report for the big day called for clear skies.

In other words, everything was perfect. Months of perpetration had finally come down to being exactly as Neji had planned, and all other matters seemed trivial in comparison.

Neji came to a stop as he reached his destination.

"Lord Hokage?"

Neji tapped his knuckles on the Hokage's door and waited. His eyebrow quirked after a minute with no answer, and he assumed that Kakashi was out. Normally, he would be more annoyed at the idea of having to return another time, but he shrugged off the feeling and made his way down the hall. He may not be able to see the Hokage today, but at the very least he could set up a meeting through his assistant.

Neji made his way toward Shikamaru's office. He knocked politely when he reached it, but again received no response. He looked down at the folder in his hand, his smile threatening to fall. He reached for the door's handle; at the very least, he could leave the folder so the Hokage would have it.

Neji opened the door. He was surprised to find that the office did, in fact, have an occupant.

He didn't know the boy's name, but Neji recognized him as Shikamaru's assistant. The young shinobi seemed haggard, his purple eyes contrasting sharply against the pallor of his face. He was mumbling to himself and sorting through one of the numerous stacks of paper that were in serious danger of sliding off his desk.

Neji cleared his throat. The boy jumped, staring at Neji as if he'd seen a ghost. Upon recognizing him, however, the assistant grumbled and lowered his eyes back to his work.

"I'm looking for the Hokage," Neji stated.

"Join the club," the boy muttered, not bothering to look up. Neji raised an eyebrow.

"If the Hokage is otherwise preoccupied, is Shikamaru available? I have the list of gifts that members of the Hyūga clan will be presenting for the wedding."

Shikamaru's assistant surprised Neji by chuckling darkly. "Shikamaru-Senpai is also … busy," he said.

Neji stared at the boy, waiting for him to elaborate. When it was clear that it wasn't going to happen, Neji approached the desks. He picked up a stray pen – which seemed to be a part of a collection of such strewn about – and wrote a brief note on the folder. He gently placed it atop the precarious "incoming" pile at the edge of the assistant's desk.

Neji gave the boy a final confused glance before making his way toward the door. A thought struck him, however, as he started to turn the handle.

"Have Shikamaru and Lady Yuiko not returned?" he asked, looking over his shoulder. The boy froze. He slowly lifted his head to regard Neji.

"You … know about that?" he squeaked.

"Yes," Neji said, frowning. "We located her days ago. Have they not come back?"

Shikamaru's assistant jumped out of his chair, sending papers flying as he leapt toward Neji. Neji took a defensive stance as the boy began clutching at his robe.

"He said it was going to be quick!" the boy wailed, tears welling in his eyes. "He made me promise — _promise —_ not to tell _anyone_! And I didn't! But then Lord Hokage left too, and everyone wants him to read things, or attend meetings, or approve budgets, or visit construction sites, or –"

"Stop," Neji said, brushing the boy's hands off his clothes. He noticed the dark stains they left behind. The assistant took a step back, gripping his golden locks between his fingers.

"And _then_ everyone was like, 'oh, just pass this along to Shikamaru! Make sure he takes a look at it by the end of the day!' BY THE END OF THE DAY! IT'S ALWAYS BY THE END OF THE DAY!"

The boy fell to his knees, once again gripping Neji's robe.

"My mom said I should have joined the barrier team," he blurted out. "But noooo, I wanted to be a clerk in the Hokage's office. 'It's prestigious!' I said. 'I'll get to see what it's really like to be the Hokage!' But let me tell you something – it's awful! Nothing but pages and pages of paperwork, and people asking for crazy things all the time! Did you know that Naruto barges in for just about any problem almost daily? I didn't know before, but I do now!"

"Please let go of me," Neji said, taking a step back. The assistant fell to his hands and knees, making a sound that Neji certainly hoped wasn't crying.

The corner of Neji's eye twitched as he knelt down to the boy's level. He hesitantly reached out, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"This sounds like … a problem," Neji said, struggling to empathize despite the warning bells going off in the back of his head. He needed more information, and helping the boy calm down first would give him that. It was normally Tenten or Rock Lee who would comfort a distraught client or civilian who had something they needed in the field. Neji was … not great at that part.

"Take … breaths," Neji said, awkwardly patting the boy's back. The assistant let out a hiccup and wiped some snot from his nose with the back of his sleeve. He looked up at Neji, blinking sheepishly.

"Are you … do you _feel_ you are in the right state of mind to answer questions?" Neji asked. The boy's eyes widened, but he nodded.

"Why has the Anbu not acted?" Neji asked. "I'm sure they've noticed if no one was left in charge."

"Lord Hokage told the Anbu to report to Shikamaru-Senpai," the boy said. "But before that, Shikamaru-Senpai told the Anbu to leave him alone so they wouldn't know he left. One of them reports to me every now and then, but they don't have anything critical going on right now, so they're not really concerned."

Neji stared at the boy in disbelief. "You're joking."

The boy quickly shook his head. "Please … help me," he whispered, his voice full of desperation. Neji regarded him gravely.

"Do you have any idea where Lady Yuiko and Shikamaru might be?" Neji asked.

The assistant looked uncertain. "Maybe. I _think_ they were at the Uzushiogakure dig site, but that was a few days ago …"

Neji's brows furrowed. He shook his head before rising to his feet.

"I'll inform the Anbu," he said, looking down at the boy with a stern expression. "Track down Miss Shizune and tell her everything. We'll have word sent to Lord Hokage immediately."


	130. Chapter 130

_This is brutal._

Shikamaru watched Yuiko with pity as she stammered through the opening speech of her coronation ceremony. Her anxiety, paired with the guilt she felt from knowing her title was going to be relinquished by the next day, left her struggling to get the words out about "loyalty" and "duty to the clan."

Luckily for Yuiko, only about half of the clan appeared to be listening. Like on the first night they had arrived, Shikamaru noted that most members of the clan seemed to suffer from painfully short attention spans and were constantly whispering and laughing among themselves about who-knows-what. He was grateful that the whispering at least seemed good-natured and not at Yuiko's expense. Every time there was a slight pause in her speech, the crowd would immediately roar in applause even though many of them likely had no idea what had just been said.

 _An entire village of Narutos,_ Shikamaru thought, fighting the urge to shudder.

Yuiko at least looked the part of Clan Head; Hanako having dressed her in a long, burgundy dress with a swirling blue pattern along the hemline and the clan's eddy symbol stitched prominently on the back (Hanako joked that she'd asked the tailor to put the eddy symbol on the front over Yuiko's protruding stomach, but that the man didn't share her sense of humor). Yuiko also had her hair tied up with a number of intricate braids and golden hairpins, which seemed to be a formal style shared by many of the women present.

Yuiko was standing on an overhang in what appeared to be a large gathering hall connected to the ley line. It was this room that Hanako hadn't allowed them to see during their previous tour, and it seemed that the Uzumaki clan had gone all-out in decorating it for the occasion (in their unique style, to Shikamaru's distaste).

The room by itself was actually quite beautiful with its domed ceiling and floor that shone in a deep bronze. The ceiling had a number of small lights dotted about that made it look like the night sky despite it being mid-day. The floor was inlayed with a swirling golden pattern that from above reminded Shikamaru of a kaleidoscope.

What ruined the effect, in his opinion, was the fact that the Uzumakis had decided to string up cloth banners of every color imaginable in seemingly random areas. Statues of various plants, animals, and people were also scattered around the edge of the room. From what Shikamaru could tell, the sculptures were made out of materials ranging from different metals to stone, and even porcelain. They had been situated in clumps around the room in odd mixtures of subject matters that Shikamaru couldn't decipher no matter how hard he tried. He ultimately decided that there was no method to their madness just to save himself the trouble of trying to figure out anything behind the Uzumaki decor.

Sai and himself were situated on the overhang, standing a few feet behind Yuiko along with the other members of the council. He had, thankfully, been able to convince Hanako that he and Sai did not require any of the flamboyant attire the Uzumaki clan called their formal wear. Instead, they were offered new jumpsuits in Konoha's standard blue and donned their freshly laundered flak jackets. Shikamaru also wanted Sai and himself to have all their gear on them, just in case.

Yuiko was still hesitant regarding Shikamaru's concerns about Captain Yukimura, but did admit that some of his behavior was suspicious. That, plus her encounter with Aiko the other day, put them on guard. He was glad that they had done so, since neither Captain Yukimura nor Aiko were present at the ceremony from what Shikamaru could tell. Something was going on, but he didn't yet have all of the pieces to figure out what.

 _Now to wait and see if either of them make a play before tomorrow_ , he thought.

Yuiko had wrapped up her speech, and Councilwoman Yuu had stepped forward to say a few words of her own. Shikamaru figured that he and Sai would do another thorough sweep of the room after the speeches were done and keep their eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. The entire village appeared to be present, which would make things difficult, but at the very least the domed hall seemed more than large enough to hold all of them, so Shikamaru wouldn't have trouble getting about. The lighting would also give him ample opportunities to stretch out his shadow to watch for anything suspicious.

"… and during this wonderful time, we can finally welcome back all of those we lost," Councilwoman Yuu said, her voice echoing throughout the hall. The murmuring in the crowd died down, and after a moment everyone fell completely silent. Shikamaru's senses flared. What Yuu had said didn't seem particularly exceptional, and yet the entire crowd was giving their undivided attention. Shikamaru glanced over to Sai, who appeared just as perplexed as he was.

Councilwoman Yuu turned to face Yuiko, offering her hand. Yuiko hesitantly took it as the older woman gently pulled her forward.

"I accompanied our Lady Yuiko to Uzushio not even a week ago, and our suspicions that our home had fallen into ruin were confirmed," Yuu said, weariness creeping into her voice. "However, we were able to access the great library, and there, as we had suspected, we found knowledge that allowed us to complete a seal that we've been working on for a very long time."

The hall erupted in chatter from the crowd below. Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow and glanced at Sai. Sai looked back at him with a blank expression. From his previous report of events, Yuu and Hanako had collected a few old scrolls from the library, but nothing that seemed out of the ordinary — not at the time, anyway.

"Hanako, if you would," Yuu said, nodding at the younger woman. Hanako stepped forward, a glowing expression on her face.

"Today we have made it official that Lady Yuiko is the leader of the Uzumaki clan," Hanako said. "But how can she truly lead our clan if all our members are not present?"

Hanako gestured to someone below. The lights on the ceiling faded, and in the gloom an intricate seal in a glowing yellow light appeared across its entire surface. The crowd scrambled toward the edge of the room as another faintly glowing seal illuminated the floor.

"The Uzumaki clan has been plagued by the destructive tendencies of outsiders for as long as we have existed," Yuu said, her voice firm. "It is why Uzushio was protected by whirlpools, and why we've created this village here, isolated from the rest of the world."

"It's time to bring our lost members home!" Hanako exclaimed, raising her arms. "And not only that, but it is time for us all to live in peace and safety, for now and always!"

The crowd cheered again. Hanako waited for them to quiet down before continuing.

"Everyone, give a part of yourself to the Summoning Seal. Our blood will help our family find their way home!"

Members of the group below approached the seal on the floor, using knives or their teeth to prick their palms and fingertips before smearing blood along the seal's edge. The faint yellow light increased in intensity.

Hanako turned to Yuiko. She tapped the intricate gold stitching on her dress to produce a knife and a small vial in a poof of smoke.

"My Lady Yuiko," Hanako said, smiling gently, "the ley line has already begun to power the seal, but there is still time to add your own blood, if you wish."

Yuiko's mouth gaped as she stared at the seal below. She turned to Hanako, her eyes wide.

"Are you … summoning _people_?" she asked. "Without a contract? It's not possible!"

"Normally, yes," Hanako said, swelling with pride. "But with the ley line, as well as some knowledge on blood seals we found on our trip to Uzushio, we can use our blood to summon anyone on the continent who has enough Uzumaki in them to resonate with the seal. Simply being a member of the clan is akin to signing the contract, so everyone out there who has been searching for all this time can finally find their way home! And paired with the barrier seal, we'll never have to worry about a future attack, since no one will ever be able to get in or out!"

Hanako's smile stretched wider as Yuiko watched her in horror.

"Pretty great surprise, yeah?!"


	131. Chapter 131

"Wait, what?" Shikamaru said, storming up to Hanako. "Did you just say you're trapping us in here?!"

Hanako frowned. "Trapping you? Is that a joke? You're the one who told us about what's been going on out there — about the wars and the crazy god-people trying to destroy humanity. We won't have to worry about anything like that here, and our clan will finally be able to live in peace without fear."

"Hanako!" Yuiko gasped. "What's happening? Why wouldn't you tell me about this?!"

Hanako's eyes widened in confusion. "We completed the seal just the other day, and I thought it would be a nice addition to the ceremony. What's wrong?"

"But what about the talks with Konoha?" Shikamaru cut in. "You can't do that with this barrier you're talking about. Were you lying to us?!"

"Of course not!" Hanako said, growing annoyed. "People may not be able to pass through the barrier, but messages most certainly can. We are more than happy to realign ourselves with Konoha and share information in that regard."

"Shikamaru," Yuiko whispered, her eyes fixed on the seal. It was glowing brighter and brighter; the room was now as well-lit as if it were mid-day.

"But I also told you we were at peace!" Shikamaru said, growing desperate. "Why cut yourself off when there's no threat?"

"Peace among the shinobi villages can only ever be temporary," Yuu said, joining the conversation. The group turned to regard the stoic older woman.

"Our clan is made up of members who live longer than most, and our records are filled with accounts of history repeating itself — villages shifting between conflict and alliance as it happens to suit them. We no longer desire to play that game, so we will remove our piece from the board entirely."

"Stop it!" Yuiko shouted, tearing her eyes from the seal to stare at Hanako desperately. "Kushina's son, Naruto — he's getting married! If you bring him here, he'll never be able to see Hinata again!"

"Not to mention the rest of our families," Shikamaru added. "Including Yuiko's husband."

Hanako turned to Yuiko in shock. "Your husband? You said he was dead!"

"He's not," Shikamaru said, his expression darkening. "And you're saying that you're doing this to avoid the horrors of the outside world, but if this seal activates, then I can assure you that you will be committing an act that will start the next war. Konoha and the other hidden villages will retaliate, and no matter how powerful you say this barrier is, someone will find a way around it. If you really want your clan to survive, I suggest you shut this thing down."

Hanako shook her head. "Despite what you say, the ley line will make the barrier seal impenetrable. And I wouldn't have kept this a surprise if I knew that you all had people waiting for you back home, since none of you mentioned it. And –" Hanako's expression turned sour as she rounded on Yuiko. "Why would you lie about your husband being dead?!"

"Not now!" Shikamaru shouted. "Stop it!"

"I can't!" Hanako snapped back. "The seal is already in place! In fact, everyone should be below us already."

The group scrambled to look over the railing. The crowd was looking about and murmuring in confusion.

"W-wait," Hanako said, her brow furrowing. "Where is everyone?"

"Sai," Shikamaru said, snatching Yuiko's hand. Sai hoisted the large scroll off his back, unrolling it as their group headed for the door.

"Lady Yuiko, where are you going?" Yuu asked, her attention torn between her and the heated discussion Hanako was having with someone beneath the balcony.

"Home!" Shikamaru shouted back. He put his palm against one of the bronze doors, letting out a grunt as he pushed it open. Their group quickly entered the large, donut-shaped level of the ley line. Shikamaru craned his head up to regard the patch of sky far above. "You can pass through barriers, right?" he asked, looking down to glance behind him. Yuiko seemed uncertain.

"I'm ... not sure," she said, shaking her head. "The chakra in the ley line is like water flowing through a river — it's constantly fluctuating. They may have designed the seal to smooth out those fluctuations, but it wouldn't be necessary since the ley line's power even during weaker points is still incredibly strong."

"So much for the easy option," Shikamaru said. A plume of smoke heralded the arrival of Sai's ink bird. Shikamaru began to guide Yuiko in its direction when a scraping sound caused him to pause. Something red flashed overhead, and the ink bird exploded in a downpour of droplets.

Shikamaru whirled about, dragging Yuiko behind him. His eyes narrowed as he focused on Captain Yukimura, who was standing in the threshold of a small door a few feet away. He held a glowing red chain with a large spiked ball hanging from the end. The chakra weapon swayed as Yukimura slowly stepped forward.

"Release her," Yukimura said, his voice firm.

"Sure thing," Shikamaru said, releasing his grip on Yuiko. He brought his hands together, and his shadow immediately stretched over the bronze tiles. It met Yukimura's own shadow, and the man's advance came to a quick halt.

"Sai, get Yuiko out of here," Shikamaru said, glancing at his companion. Sai nodded, his brush flying over the paper.

Yuiko stepped around Shikamaru to look him in the eye. "We're not leaving you here," she stated.

"I'll figure something out," Shikamaru replied. "Just get to the teleportation seal."

Their attention returned to the door Yukimura had entered from; a handful of guards were now rushing over the threshold. Shikamaru's shadow split, branching off to meet each of them. The guards came to a swift halt among cries of surprise.

The popping sound behind them signaled that Sai's ink bird was waiting. Shikamaru regarded Yuiko out of the corner of his eye.

"You've got more than just yourself to worry about, remember?" he said. Yuiko looked back at him with an anxious expression.

"We –"

Shikamaru's eyes snapped ahead, and Yuiko turned to follow his gaze. Despite the fact that Shikamaru's shadow was clearly still attached, Yukimura freely reached over to grip the hilt of the sword at his hip.

"Shadow Possession jutsu," he said, drawing the sword. "It's been a long time since I've seen it. The last time was when a Nara was assigned to my squad during the war. He saved me from setting off a hidden paper bomb."

Yukimura shifted his grip on the sword, pointing it toward the ground. He drove it into the bronze tile, and Shikamaru winced as it pierced his shadow.

"Countering it isn't terribly difficult, if you know which chakra points to seal off," Yukimura continued. The sword's blade shone in a blinding red light. Red chains flew from the metal, and Shikamaru's hands flew apart as the chains wrapped around his wrists. He nearly stumbled as more chains twisted around his ankles. He heard Sai cry out behind him, but his eyes widened in alarm when he heard Yuiko as well.

Yuiko was still beside him, a glowing red chain around her arm.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Shikamaru shouted. "Don't attack her!"

Captain Yukimura sighed. "Are you in pain? As you can see, it's only a restraint; I have no intention of hurting her."

Yukimura's gaze shifted to Yuiko. "You told me you were going to look out for our people, but now you're trying to leave them. Where is that drive you told me of?"

Yuiko's features hardened. "Cutting yourself off from the outside world isn't how you grow stronger," she said.

"It's how you keep everyone _safe_ ," Yukimura said. "That is my ideal as captain of the Uzumaki guard. Sealing ourselves off will keep our clan from falling a second time."

Yuiko slowly shook her head.

"Run, Yuiko," Shikamaru said, his eyes locked ahead. Yuiko glanced at him, worry creeping into her features. She looked back at Yukimura with a calculating expression. The chain around her arm suddenly dropped to the floor, shattering in shards of chakra. Yukimura's brow furrowed; the chain appeared to have fallen as if she wasn't there.

Yuiko took a step forward.

"Yuiko!" Shikamaru snapped. Yuiko continued to walk, holding her head high.

"My grandfather had no one to drag him back after he lost himself," Yuiko said. Yukimura didn't move, peering down at her as Yuiko stopped before him.

"He thought he was better off alone, cutting himself off from everything to avoid being hurt again. He died broken, but –"

Yuiko's expression softened. "But he didn't die alone. I think a little part of him still let me in, so he at least had that when he passed."

Yuiko's posture straightened. "Let me bring the Uzumaki clan back to the elemental nations. Coming together with them can only make us stronger! It's a lesson that everyone learned during the last war, and the Uzumaki clan can only benefit from coming on board! We don't have to be alone!"

Something shifted behind Yukimura's eye. He regarded Yuiko in astonishment.

"Ninigi …"

"Yukimura," a voice snapped.

Yuiko and Yukimura turned toward the large set of doors. Councilwoman Yuu stood at its threshold, watching them steadily.

"The barrier has activated, but we haven't figured out what happened with the summoning seal," Yuu continued. "Please escort Lady Yuiko to her quarters for her own safety, and keep the Konoha shinobi under close guard."

Yukimura's expression grew grim. He reached out to place his hand on Yuiko's shoulder.

"Stand down," Yuiko said, holding his gaze. Yukimura's hand wavered.

"Lady Yuiko," Yuu said, her voice stern. "Please. This is for your own safety."

"Your Clan Head orders you all to stand down!" Yuiko barked. "And let Shikamaru and Sai go immediately!"

The guards behind Yukimura exchanged nervous glances. Yukimura watched her gravely, unmoving.

"Escort Lady Yuiko to her quarters," Yuu said softly. One of the guards stepped forward. Another followed, and soon they all took tentative steps toward Yuiko.

Uncertainty flashed over Yukimura's face. He opened his mouth to speak, but he stopped as something appeared beside them.

Yukimura's sword was pulled suddenly from the bronze tile, and the red chains dissipated with a loud 'clink.' A figure slipped between Yuiko and Yukimura, shoving Yuiko back. Yuiko's eyes widened as she regarded the mess of auburn hair.

Aiko crouched low with Yukimura's sword in her right hand as she stared up at the man.

"How did you pull that out?" Yukimura asked, stunned. "The amount of chakra in the chains –"

"Go," Aiko said, turning her head to the side. Yuiko regarded her with a puzzled expression.

"Come on," Shikamaru said, grabbing Yuiko by the wrist. Yuiko glanced back at Aiko before allowing herself to be dragged toward the ink bird.

"Lady Yuiko!" Yuu shouted. "You can't get through the barrier! Please, just stay!"

One of the guards ran forward while pulling a scroll from a side pouch. In the blink of an eye, Aiko was before him; the man grimaced as she drove the hilt of the sword into his face. He fell back, crying out in pain as he gripped his nose.

A gust of air buffeted the group as the ink bird beat its wings. In a powerful push, the bird was aloft, soaring up toward the opening in the ceiling above.

Another guard leapt forward, snatching Aiko's wrist. Aiko's attention was on the ink bird, and her grip on Yukimura's sword loosened as the bird flew out of sight. The sword clattered to the ground, and a second guard came forward to force Aiko to her knees before shoving her face against the tile.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"

The group turned to regard Hanako, who's attention swiveled between the stunned looking Yukimura, the guard tending to a bloody nose, and her assistant who was regarding her with an annoyed expression from where her face was smooshed against the floor.

Yuu let out a weary sigh. "I told you we should have said something to them beforehand; not everyone likes surprises as much as you do."

"But this was a _great_ surprise!" Hanako exclaimed. "It may not have _worked_ like it was supposed to, but I should be able to fix that once I figure out what happened."

"We'll get to that," Yuu said, her violet eyes raising to the sky. "But first, I'm sure they're headed to the teleportation seal. Lady Yuiko will figure out before too long that it can't be activated, and they may try to leave by air. We need to catch up with them beforehand; they could hurt themselves trying to break through the barrier."

Hanako nodded solemnly. Her eyes drifted to the floor. "Is that necessary?" she asked, regarding the two men holding down Aiko.

The men glanced at Yukimura. The captain bent down to pick up his sword, keeping his eye on Aiko as he slid it into the sheath on his hip. He regarded Aiko curiously, but nodded. The guards released their grip and Aiko glared at them as she rose to her feet.

"Aiko," Yuu said solemnly. "I'm sure you believed that you were following Lady Yuiko's orders, but you can't leap in without first knowing the context of a situation. Is that understood?"

Aiko regarded Councilwoman Yuu coolly. She mumbled an apology as she dropped her gaze.

"Aiko," Hanako said, placing a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "We're going to bring Lady Yuiko back and clear everything up, so you don't have to worry. In the meantime, do you think you can figure out what happened with the summoning seal? You'll also need to tweak it a bit to allow it to work around the barrier. If you direct some more of the ley line's chakra, it shouldn't be an issue."

Hanako put her hands on her hips, her expression brightening. "Lady Yuiko seemed a bit flustered before, but I'm sure it's going to be OK when she gets back and sees all the happy faces waiting to greet her! You're my apprentice, so I know you can make it happen."

Aiko nodded, her eyes turning up as she smiled.

"Leave it to me."


	132. Chapter 132

Yuiko, Sai, and Shikamaru quickly ascended the white stone steps of the dais. Yuiko's expression immediately soured as they stepped over the seal.

"There's something wrong," she said. Yuiko pooled chakra into her feet to keep herself steady as she crouched down. She got on her knees, flattening her palms against the seal.

"It's the barrier," she said, her expression darkening. "This seal is being blocked."

"Can you fix it?" Shikamaru asked.

"I can try," Yuiko said. She sat down fully on the ground and placed both palms against the stone. She stared down at it; the seal beneath them gave off the occasional flare of chakra as she worked. Shikamaru tapped his foot, exchanging anxious glances with Sai as the minutes ticked by.

"It won't work," a voice said.

Hanako stood at the top of the hill, with Councilwoman Yuu coming up beside her. Captain Yukimura stepped into view, followed by a number of the Uzumaki guard.

"Leaving this place is no longer an option," Hanako continued.

"Everyone, stay back!" Shikamaru growled. He and Sai stood defensively on the dais as Yuiko continued to work. The crowd at the top of the hill grew to include more members of the Uzumaki council and guard. The men and women looked down at them in various states of confusion and worry. Shikamaru kept his attention fixated between Hanako and Captain Yukimura, the latter of which was watching them with a blank expression.

"I don't know what happened with the summoning seal," Hanako said, "but the barrier seal activated perfectly. There's no way for you to break through; you'll only deplete your chakra if you keep trying."

Shikamaru dared to glance back at Yuiko. Her hands were starting to tremble as she strained against the seal.

"I can't," she whispered. "I can't not go home. I can't not see Kakashi again. I –"

"Lady Yuiko," Sai said, concerned.

Yuiko's hands balled into fists and her arms shook. Shikamaru frowned, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Shikamaru's eyes suddenly snapped up when someone from the crowd let out a grunt of surprise. Two men were roughly shoved aside as a figure elbowed their way to the front of the onlookers.

Aiko didn't spare the men a second glance as she left the group and casually walked down the side of the hill. Shikamaru's eyebrows shot up as Aiko strolled toward them, wearing a bored expression.

"Ai-Aiko!" Hanako stuttered. "What are you doing here?! Did you already fix the seal?"

Aiko ignored her. She climbed the short steps and came to a stop to glance over the shocked faces of the Konoha shinobi.

"The barrier seal is impenetrable," Aiko stated. "… Unless you build in a key."

Hope dawned on Yuiko's face as she got to her feet. Shikamaru watched Aiko in wonder.

"Why?" he asked. Aiko leveled him with a flat stare.

"You should know by now," Aiko said. Shikamaru quickly looked away as heat rushed to his face.

Aiko crouched, placing her palm against the seal. The seal flashed a deep crimson, and the group felt the new swell of chakra beneath their feet as the seal began to resonate with the other side.

"Aiko!" Hanako shouted. "What are you doing? Why all of this — why are you letting them leave?!"

Aiko straightened and regarded Hanako with a tired expression. "I don't owe you an explanation."

Hanako stared at the young woman in shock.

"We can leave when you want," Aiko said, turning to Yuiko.

"You're coming?" Shikamaru blurted. Aiko's green eyes met his.

"I was able to study the ley line; that's all I wanted to do," she said. "I had some time alone just now to erase the summoning seal and burn the scrolls they brought back. I also damaged a central part the structure feeding the seal. It's possible they could get it working again, but breaking a summoning contract can be done from either end; you'll figure it out."

Yuiko smiled, reaching out to take Aiko's hand. "Thank you, Aiko."

Aiko quickly retracted her hand, looking uncomfortable.

"A-Aiko …" Hanako said, stunned.

"I don't … know what's happening," Councilwoman Yuu said. "But … Lady Yuiko, you're our Clan Head. Please — you cannot leave us."

Yuiko raised her head, a smile growing on her face.

"I revoke my position as Clan Head," she said curtly. "In the meantime, before another Clan Head is chosen, I appoint Ninigi Uzumaki as the intermediary Head."

The Uzumakis looked at her in stunned silence. Hanako shook her head pityingly.

"You can't appoint _a seal_ to be in charge!" she said. "That portion of his chakra isn't a real person; he can't –"

"I believe he is real enough to lead this clan," Yuiko said firmly. "Ninigi loves his people and will do what is right for them. He will be more than sufficient to lead until another Clan Head is chosen."

Hanako's mouth flapped soundlessly while Yuu shook her head.

"I will uphold this decision," a gruff voice said.

The crowd regarded Captain Yukimura in disbelief. The man continued to look down at Yuiko with a stern expression.

"I believe we are lacking something Ninigi possesses," he said. "His granddaughter also seems to possess it, but I do not believe that she was meant to share it with us here."

Yuiko's expression brightened.

"Lady Yuiko!" Hanako pleaded. "The teleportation seal in Uzushio is cut off from the ley line's chakra. Aiko's key can use the ley line's energy to create an opening from this side, but not from there. If you leave, there's no way you could build up enough chakra to come back!"

 _Not enough chakra, huh? Meeting Naruto would probably give her a heart attack,_ Shikamaru thought with a smirk.

"I don't think I'll need to," Yuiko said firmly. "Once the barrier goes down, we'll be able to freely travel back and forth."

Yuiko took a step forward. She raised her head to regard the people staring down at her as her voice carried through the valley.

"The Uzumaki clan will be more than welcome in Konoha!" she said. "As allies we can work together to find every Uzumaki scattered around the nations! We can show you how great Konoha has become — how great all the nations now are!"

Yuiko smiled kindly. "There is so much out there for you all to see. Not everything is good, but we're doing our best to make it better. I want the people of my clan to see that. I want you all to be proud of the world, and to want to become a part of it. And when you're ready, I promise you that you will be greeted warmly – because you are part of my family."

The crowd regarded Yuiko in stunned silence. Shikamaru was struck by an unexpected feeling of pride.

 _She sounds like a real leader. It's about time,_ he thought.

The seal beneath their feet began to glow in a blue light. Shikamaru's gaze swept over the gathering of Uzumakis for a final time. Hanako was watching them with a downtrodden look, and Yuu mirrored her expression. Yukimura was, surprisingly, smiling. It was the first time Shikamaru had seen him without a scowl on his face. He watched as Yukimura raised his hand to return the wave Yuiko was giving him.

In a flash of light, their group was teleported into darkness. Shikamaru blinked a few times, realizing that they were back in the cave as his eyes adjusted.

"That was …" he said, trailing off. He rubbed the back of his head as he regarded the still-glowing seal along the wall. "This is going to be a lot of paperwork."

 _Troublesome._

Aiko strode past him, making her way to the tunnels.

"Hey! Wait!" Shikamaru said, watching her in confusion. "Where are you going?"

Aiko stopped to hit him with a condescending look. "I'm leaving," she said.

"I can see that," Shikamaru said, catching up to her. "Do you have somewhere to go?"

"I always have somewhere to go," she said, continuing down the tunnel. The two of them stooped as the ceiling sloped downward. Shikamaru watched Aiko out of the corner of his eye. He had no idea what the hell she'd meant, but he felt uncomfortable with just leaving her alone to wander the wilderness.

Light started to fill the tunnel as they approached the entrance. Shikamaru cleared his throat.

"Look, if you want, you can always come back wi–"

Something pushed itself to the front of his mind. He processed the detail, his brow furrowing.

"How do you know the way out of here?"

Aiko exited the tunnel into the sunlight. She stopped after a few feet to regard Shikamaru as Yuiko and Sai emerged behind him.

"You're sadly unobservant for how smart you are," Aiko said. There was a poof of smoke, and a tall man wearing a long, black cloak stood in her place. The one eye that wasn't hidden behind his unruly black hair regarded them coolly. Sai raised a finger to point at the man.

"Oh, look," he said with a pleasant smile. "We found Sasuke."

Shikamaru's mind ground to a halt.

 _Wait. No. So when she was looking at me like that … Oh. Oh no. And I thought that … I thought she was …_

The memory of Aiko's gaze during the village tour came rushing back. He perfectly recalled the gleam in her eyes, and the soft pink hue to her cheeks. He remembered her face being inches from his as she tried to tell him something in the library. How he had thought …

Shikamaru grimaced.

 _I thought … I thought Sasuke was …_

A horrified expression fell over Shikamaru's face. No one spoke as the group regarded Sasuke in silence. He glanced over them with an uninterested expression before turning around and walking away.

"See you."


	133. Chapter 133

"Wait, Sasuke!"

Sasuke walked away from the dig site and headed into the thick cluster of pine trees that marked the beginning of the surrounding forest. He stopped to turn slightly as Yuiko stepped toward him.

"Will you come back to Konoha with us?" she asked.

"No," Sasuke said, turning to continue on his way.

"Hold on!" Shikamaru shouted, quickly catching up. His mind was still reeling, and he was fighting back the barrage of questions filling his brain.

"What the hell happened back there? How long were you pretending to be Aiko? What did you do with the _real_ Aiko?"

Sasuke regarded Shikamaru steadily for a moment before sighing. "I assumed that woman's identity when I traveled to Koritsugakure a few weeks ago," he said flatly. "I put her under a genjutsu. I could sense the immense amount of chakra emitting from the ley line, and I wanted to study it to see if it had any ties to the Ōtsutsuki clan and Black Zetsu."

Shikamaru's brow furrowed. "They're going to _find_ the real Aiko, right?"

Sasuke watched him steadily. "The Uzumakis had a number of hidden safe rooms in case of attack in their communal building," he stated. "I learned as much from Aiko's memory, and I stored her there. With me gone, the genjutsu will wear off, and she should be able to free herself."

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed.

 _So that time I was tracking Aiko's chakra signature and it led to a wall ..._

Shikamaru huffed, crossing his arms. 'Well," he said. "I'm sure _that_ was a horrifying experience for her."

Sasuke turned away, walking into the forest.

"Hey!" Shikamaru barked. "You might as well come back with us! You're going to need to file a report!"

"I'll send a hawk," Sasuke said, his cloak whipping behind a tree as he vanished from sight.

"Wait!" Yuiko shouted, going after him. Shikamaru made to follow, but Sai put a hand on his shoulder.

"I think it might be best for us to leave them alone for a bit," he said. Shikamaru regarded his companion doubtfully.

"Don't worry, we won't stay too far away," Sai continued. "I just think Lady Yuiko will seem more pitiful if she's alone."

Shikamaru huffed. "I don't think that kind of thing will work on him," he said.

"We can only wait and see," Sai replied with a smile, already pulling out his sketchbook to pass the time.

–

"Stop following me."

"Come back with us!" Yuiko pleaded, staring at the back of Sasuke's head.

"No."

"But it would –" Yuiko stopped, wincing in pain. She doubled over for a moment, but the pain passed, and she lifted her eyes back to Sasuke. She was surprised to see he had stopped, and he was regarding her over his shoulder.

"Are you injured?"

"Um, no, I'm just – wait!"

Sasuke had started walking again, and Yuiko struggled to catch up. However, she was gripped by another wave of pain, and she placed her hand against a nearby tree for support.

"Go back to the campsite."

Sasuke had stopped to regard her again, watching her passively.

"I'm not leaving you alone until you go back with me," Yuiko said, standing upright. Sasuke closed his visible eye with a sigh.

"Don't be stubborn," he said. "Where I go is none of your business."

"Maybe not," Yuiko said, a determined look growing on her face, "but where you go affects Naruto, and I know that you being at his wedding would mean everything to him."

Yuiko held Sasuke's stare. The corner of her mouth twitched as the pain returned.

Sasuke turned his head, looking about until he spotted something among the trees. He casually walked toward it and Yuiko stayed on his heels as they entered a small clearing. Sasuke moved around a cluster off moss-covered rocks and stepped silently over the blanket of dried leaves beneath their feet. He sat down on the downed tree that appeared to be his destination and raised his gaze to stare back at Yuiko. She eventually got the hint, gingerly sitting down beside him.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes as Sasuke gazed ahead into the forest.

"Have you ever stopped to think about why I can't go back to Konoha?" he finally asked.

Yuiko nodded. "It's not that you can't; it's that you don't feel like you should."

Sasuke regarded her out of the corner of his eye. Yuiko held his gaze.

"We have a lot in common, except you're more of an asshole," she said. Sasuke's face remained an impartial mask, although his hand twitched.

"I left Konoha when I was young," Yuiko continued, "and even though I really wanted to go back, I thought I wouldn't be welcome. So I stayed away. I probably would have never come home if something hadn't forced me to go back. But when I did come home, I found out that there were people who had been waiting for me all that time."

Sasuke scowled, and Yuiko smiled gently. "I felt like an idiot, because the whole time I thought that everyone had moved on, and that me being gone was for the better. I wish I could go back in time and slap myself into giving up my self-pity and just going home and dealing with the consequences."

Yuiko raised her hand to point at him. "So you're like me, though the stuff you did was way worse than anything I did."

Sasuke held her gaze. Yuiko continued to watch him with a determined expression, fighting the urge to relent to his look of contempt.

"You think you're like me?" he said.

Yuiko blinked in surprise. Sasuke turned to look ahead. "You're nothing like me."

Yuiko frowned. She opened her mouth, but Sasuke cut her off.

"It isn't bad," he said.

Sasuke closed his eye for a moment, and then opened it slowly. "Naruto needs people like you beside him. People who would try to do what you've done for him, as stupid as it is."

He stood and took a few steps toward the edge of the clearing. Sasuke paused, keeping his back to her. "I'm sorry I tried to kill you during the war," he said.

He continued his stroll. Yuiko bunched her hands into fists as she struggled to her feet.

"I don't forgive you!"

Sasuke stopped.

"I don't forgive you for trying to kill me!" she shouted. "I don't forgive you for hurting Kakashi and Sakura and Naruto! I don't forgive you at all for all the things you did!"

Yuiko took a deep breath, lowering her gaze as an unpleasant memory resurfaced.

"But I bet that what I feel is nothing next to how you feel about yourself," she whispered.

Sasuke didn't answer. Yuiko gripped her stomach, fighting back another wave of pain.

"You said that I'm not like you, but that isn't true," she said. "I'm like you, and I know I am because I had a voice in my head telling me that I didn't really deserve to be happy. And that voice was so loud that back when Black Zetsu targeted me, it hardly had to do anything to get me under its control. And I bet you have that same voice that's telling you that you don't deserve to go home because of what you did."

"Is that voice wrong?" Sasuke asked, turning his head slightly.

"I –"

Yuiko paused. That answer had always been very clear in her mind up until that moment. Sasuke had betrayed Konoha in so many ways, and hurt the people around him in even more. But she couldn't help but recall her conversation with Aiko, and the sadness churning behind her false green eyes.

' _Why would you ever leave if you didn't have to?'_

Yuiko closed her eyes. "I don't know if that voice is wrong," she said softly. "But you've always had people who want you to come home."

Yuiko opened her eyes. Sasuke still had his back to her. Hope grew in her chest as the seconds ticked by.

"I'm not done," Sasuke said, his voice so soft Yuiko almost missed it.

"I'm not either," Yuiko replied. Sasuke's head turned marginally, but he seemed to second-guess his decision and paused before his eye was visible.

"I messed up," Yuiko said, bunching the material of her dress above her belly. "I was supposed to be the one to look out for him — to raise him. I messed up so, so badly."

Yuiko took a shuddering breath. "I don't have the power to give him back the years of love he deserved. I can't fix that, no matter how much I want to. But … But I'll keep trying."

Sasuke slowly turned to face her. He studied her with a blank expression.

"I'm sorry I can't do this for you," he said. "Please, go home."

"This isn't for me!" Yuiko said, desperation seeping into her voice. "There are people there who are in pain every day you're gone. You being away hurts them too."

Something flashed behind Sasuke's eye. He turned away, his cloak billowing behind him as he stepped into the tree line.

Sasuke felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down to see Yuiko's fingers curled around the material.

"I'll beg," she whispered, her head bent. "I'll do that, if it's what it takes. Please, do this for Naruto."

Sasuke regarded her with an indifferent expression. His shoulders slumped slightly as he sighed.

"You're not very smart, are you?"

Yuiko raised her eyes as Sasuke turned. Her grip on his sleeve loosened as he faced her.

"I told you before that people express themselves in ways that can be hard for others to understand," he said. "I learned that from my father, and again from my brother."

A distant expression passed behind Sasuke's eye before his focus returned.

"I don't think I'm any different," he continued. "I also know that Naruto understands that."

Sasuke's brow furrowed as Yuiko's expression turned sour.

"He's not an idiot!" she yelled. "Of course he knows how you feel; you're his best friend! I don't think _you_ know how _he_ feels!"

Sasuke's expression hardened. "He doesn't need me."

Yuiko's anger dissipated in the blink of an eye. Sasuke frowned, irritated from the pity now etched across her face.

"He's always smiling when he talks about you," Yuiko said. She slowly shook her head. "But the smile doesn't reach his eyes. That's how Sakura and Kakashi are, too. I think talking about you reminds them that something is missing."

"What do you want me to say?" Sasuke said. "I can't –"

He paused, watching Yuiko as she suddenly doubled over with a hiss of agony.

"You said you weren't injured," he said flatly.

"I'm … I'm not!" Yuiko said. Sasuke noticed Yuiko clutching at her stomach. His shoulders stiffened.

"This can't be happening," he muttered.

–

"Does it bother you at all, what Hanako said?"

"Hmm?" Sai said, lifting his gaze from the sketchbook. "Miss Hanako said a number of things, so it's hard to judge which of them bothered you the most."

Shikamaru sighed. He sat slouched against some debris that appeared to have been dragged out from the tunnel system when the archaeologists were clearing it out. He could hear the distant chatter from said archaeologists on the other side, but he had purposely picked this spot to stay out of sight. The fact that the campsite wasn't overflowing with shinobi helped him to determine that their cover had, miraculously, still not been blown. Things would be a lot easier for him if they were able to get back to Konoha without anymore fuss.

"Alright," Shikamaru continued, "more specifically: Does it bother you that she thought it was OK to trap us on that island because we never talked about having anyone to go home to?"

"Oh," Sai said. He tapped his pencil against his lip in thought. "No, I don't see why it would. We are not trained to speak about our personal lives while on a mission."

"But we weren't on a mission, really," Shikamaru said. He lifted his head to watch the clouds drift by. "They were crazy, but the Uzumakis seemed to show a lot of concern over the people that were important to them. Naruto's always been that way, too; he'd blab to just about anyone about his friends and how much they mean to him."

Sai nodded. "Yes, I do admire that about Naruto. He is very loyal to his friends, and will stick up for us no matter what."

Shikamaru chuckled, lowering his gaze. "I think I need to get out more, after I get home. I haven't seen Naruto in a while, and it's been ages since I've met up with Chōji and Ino for barbecue."

"I'm aware," Sai said. "Ino complains about it at least three times a week. It was our main topic of conversation on our last date, aside from the fact that the convenience store ran out of her favorite brand of shampoo."

"Oh, you guys are on to shampoo, huh? Things must be getting serious," Shikamaru joked.

"Yes, Ino tells me a lot of things in confidence," Sai said. "It's a very good sign, according to the dating books I've read."

Shikamaru regarded Sai curiously. "Oh yeah? Has she said anything about me?"

"Many things," Sai said, his eyes turning up in a smile, "all of which she told me that I can't tell you."

Shikamaru scowled. "I don't even see her anymore, and she's still a pain," he mumbled.

"Ino said you would say that," Sai said, returning his attention to his sketchbook.

Shikamaru grumbled to himself. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of irregular footsteps and breaking twigs. He rose to his feet, staring into the forest.

Sasuke and Yuiko emerged from the foliage. Sasuke, being over a head taller than Yuiko, was bent over in an awkward position in order for her arm to reach around his shoulders. He came to an abrupt stop as he reached them.

"What happened? I didn't sense anyone else," Shikamaru said quickly.

"She …" Sasuke started, trailing off. He gingerly ducked under Yuiko's arm, taking a few steps away from the group. He seemed to stare into nothing for a moment before a portal of swirling black and purple clouds opened up before him and grew to his height. Shikamaru's jaw dropped in confusion as his eyes darted between Yuiko and Sasuke.

"This will take you back to Konoha," Sasuke said, turning to them. "Get her to the hospital immediately."

"Wait, what's happening?" Shikamaru asked, studying Yuiko intently.

"Nothing! Probably …" Yuiko said, forcing a smile. "I think I just pulled a muscle or something."

Yuiko hissed, clutching her stomach as she bent over.

"Oh no," Shikamaru said, his eyes widening. "Oh shit. We need to go." He whipped his head around to regard Sasuke. "You sure this thing will get us to Konoha?"

Sasuke nodded.

"Alright," Shikamaru said, grabbing Yuiko's elbow. "Let's get going. Nice and easy, alright?"

Yuiko phased out of Shikamaru's grip, backing away a few paces. "I'm not going back to Konoha without Sasuke!"

Shikamaru fought to suppress the frustration bubbling up in his chest.

"Yuiko," he said sternly. "Let's take a moment to prioritize, alright? You can try to get Sasuke to come back with us, but then you might just pop out a baby here in the woods, and I don't think anyone here wants to deal with that."

"Oh! I have been reading a few books," Sai said, producing a book from his side pouch with a baby on the cover. "I haven't been able to get through the chapter about labor, though. The pictures make me nauseous."

"Not now, Sai!" Shikamaru snapped. He turned his attention back to Yuiko. "Please, Yuiko. You said you were going to listen to my point of view on things, right?"

Yuiko pursed her lips. She nodded hesitantly.

"Then listen to me now," Shikamaru said, "think really hard about what's best for you and your family. I know how much Naruto means to you, but think about what he would want for you in this situation."

Yuiko dropped her gaze. After a moment of staring at the ground, she nodded, a morose look falling over her face. She reached out to take Shikamaru's hand, and he gently guided her toward the portal. Sasuke stepped to the side.

Shikamaru glanced at Yuiko, his heart sinking.

 _He's going to hate me for this. What a drag._

Shikamaru stopped, turning to regard Sasuke.

"You know, the only reason you've been allowed to go around doing whatever you want is because Kakashi has been working to restore your good name with the other hidden villages," he said.

Sasuke's eye narrowed, trying to decipher what Shikamaru was getting at.

"You owe him," Shikamaru said, holding his gaze.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Sasuke asked.

"I think doing a favor for his wife would go a long way toward repaying your debt to him," Shikamaru replied.

Sasuke's eye widened marginally as he regarded Yuiko. " _Her?_ "

"I stopped questioning the Hokage's motives a long time ago," Shikamaru said wearily. Yuiko shot him an offended look.

"Joking," Shikamaru said with a chuckle. He looked back to Sasuke, smiling coyly.

"So, what are you going to do?"


	134. Chapter 134

"Do you sense that?" Kakashi asked. The small group came to an abrupt stop as they dropped from the branches to the grass below.

"Yes," Yamato said, furrowing his brow in concentration. "One chakra signature, approaching fast."

The group slung their travel packs off their shoulders and stood together in a defensive formation. Considering how close they were to Konoha, it was likely one of their own, but a shinobi could never be too careful.

The signature was upon them in seconds; an Anbu member with a mask resembling a gorilla came to a stop in the tree above. They flashed through a series of signs with one hand, and Kakashi responded with a series of his own. The group relaxed as the Anbu member dropped from the tree to kneel before Kakashi.

"Lord Hokage," he said. "I need to report to you that –"

The man stopped, holding a hand up to his ear.

"Yes, he has been located," he said into his radio. "No, I have not, I was just about to." There was a short pause, and the Anbu seemed to lift his head marginally. "What? You're sure?"

He remained motionless for a few seconds before dropping his hand from his ear.

"Lord Hokage," he repeated, Kakashi now watching him with a raised brow. "Report: Your wife has gone in to labor, and –"

The rest of his sentence died on his lips as the Hokage disappeared in a whirlwind of leaves.

"Yuiko's having her baby!" Sakura squealed, her hands on her cheeks.

"Come on, let's get back," Yamato said, grabbing Kakashi's pack along with his own. He and Sakura leapt up into the trees and sped toward the village.

The gorilla-masked Anbu watched them go. He raised a hand to his ear.

"The Hokage is on his way. He seems to be unaware of the … _incident_ with Lady Yuiko."

The Anbu member paused for a moment before nodding.

"I agree. We'll keep this quiet for now and tighten security protocols to avoid future incidents. Thank you for your assistance, Miss Shizune. Over and out."

–

The door shut with a soft click, and Naruto made his way down the brightly lit hallway. It opened up into a large waiting area where one wall was lined entirely in windows that reached from the floor to the ceiling. Couches and chairs were scattered about the room. They were empty, for the most part.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the sight of Shikamaru sprawled out on a couch, an arm slung over his eyes as he snored. Sai sat in a nearby chair, sketching something in a small notebook. He looked up as Naruto passed by and greeted him with a pleasant smile and wave. Naruto returned the gesture, albeit a little confusedly. He continued through the waiting area into the hallway of hospital rooms. His eyes widened at the sight of two Anbu members flanking the second door on the left, another two leaning against the opposite wall. The group nodded amicably as he stepped around them to slide open the door.

"Oh, Naruto!" Yuiko whispered, beaming at him. She sat upright in her hospital bed, a thick white blanket covering the lower half of her body. The light blue hospital gown she was wearing contrasted sharply with the intricate braids accented with golden adornments in her hair. Naruto regarded her appearance curiously. Yuiko seemed to notice, and quickly raised her arms to start removing hair pins.

"Is the baby asleep?" Naruto asked, keeping his voice low as he slid the door closed.

Yuiko giggled, pointing to the other side of the room.

Kakashi was sprawled out on a chair, his head hanging back from the lack of support as a bundle of blankets rose and fell in his lap. Naruto's appearance didn't seem to interrupt his slumber.

"Looks like he's had it kinda rough, huh?" Naruto grinned, placing a chair next to the bed.

"I think he had a tougher time than I did," Yuiko joked. Naruto chuckled softly as he took a seat. His attention turned to the swaddled bundle on Yuiko's lap.

"Would you like to hold him?" Yuiko asked. She placed a golden comb on the nightstand before lifting up her baby.

"Uh, yeah, if you're okay with that," Naruto said, and Yuiko put the baby in his arms.

"Of course," Yuiko smiled. "You _are_ his godfather."

Naruto looked up at her, his shocked expression breaking into a wide grin.

"Really?!"

Yuiko nodded. Naruto's attention then returned to the baby, whose eyes were closed; Naruto reached out to gently stroke the thin layer of silver hair on his head.

"He's so small …" Naruto whispered. He looked up to Yuiko, who was regarding the two of them warmly. "Was I this small?"

"Hmm," Yuiko said, putting her finger to her lips. "Yes, I think so. Your head was huge, though."

"To hold my gigantic brain, right?" Naruto said with a grin.

"I think it was mostly padding, to keep you protected from all those times you rammed into something," Yuiko said with a laugh. "You never did anything without putting in all of your effort, including climbing the chairs or the bookcase."

"Aww man," Naruto said, chuckling. "You never told me I was such a pain."

"I guess you made up for it," Yuiko said, feigning a reluctant sigh. "You did save the world a few times, so I suppose I can accept that."

Naruto snickered, smiling down at the baby as it stirred.

"Naruto," Yuiko said.

Naruto looked up, concerned by the sudden morose tone in Yuiko's voice.

"The present I was going to give you for your wedding …" she said, trailing off. "Well, I realized that what I wanted for you wasn't really mine to give."

She smiled sheepishly. "I wish I had realized that sooner. But after talking to him …" Yuiko trailed off again, staring across the room. "Shikamaru is going to kill me."

"Huh?" Naruto said, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Yuiko said, shaking her head. "What I meant to say is that I'm sorry I didn't get you anything for your wedding."

"Are you kidding?" Naruto said, fighting to keep his voice down. "You made me the godfather of you and Kakashi-Sensei's kid! I never thought I'd be somebody's godfather; that's the coolest gift ever!"

Yuiko stared at him, her eyes hopeful. "Really?"

"Yeah!" Naruto said. "I'm just like Pervy Sage! Well, not really, but you know what I mean."

Yuiko smiled. "You're not just saying that?"

"Of course not!" Naruto said, grinning from ear to ear. "You guys making me a part of your family …" Naruto trailed off, smiling down at the baby.

"You've always been a part of my family," Yuiko said softly. The sad tone had returned to her voice, and Naruto regarded her in confusion.

"I don't think I ever apologized to you," Yuiko whispered. "I never told you how sorry I was for the years I wasn't there."

Naruto's eyes widened as Yuiko's expression fell. "H-hey! Don't cry!" he said, growing alarmed.

Naruto quickly glanced over to make sure his former sensei was still asleep. An embarrassed flush grew on his cheeks as he leaned over the bed.

"I, uh, may not have seemed very grateful at the time," he said, nervously scratching the side of his face, "but even the stuff you did that was annoying was … kinda nice."

Naruto smiled sheepishly. "It sounds dumb, but it was nice havin' someone to tell me to pick my clothes off the floor and to not stay up too late and stuff. It made me feel kinda normal, ya know?"

Naruto's expression grew thoughtful. "I'm not sure, but I probably wouldn't be the person I am today if I didn't have all my past experiences; including that time I was by myself. I'm pretty happy now, so I think things kinda worked out."

Yuiko regarded him with a watery smile as she dabbed the corners of her eyes.

"And it … does mean a lot that you're real happy about me gettin' married," Naruto continued, lowering his eyes. "And for you to think that I'm good enough to be the godfather of your kid."

Naruto raised his head, beaming. "It makes me feel really special, ya know? I couldn't have asked for a better gift."

"Oh really? Well, I'm glad you think so."

Naruto turned, regarding Kakashi as he got to his feet.

"I hope you don't mind that I was eavesdropping," Kakashi said casually, crossing the room. The embarrassed look on Naruto's face seemed to convey that he did, in fact, mind.

"I just thought this would be a good spot to piggyback on my wife's sentiment," Kakashi continued. He gingerly placed the bundle of blankets that had been on his lap in Naruto's open arm. Naruto looked down, and his mouth went slack.

"This is your goddaughter," Kakashi said happily.

The baby looked up at him with a droopy expression, her violet eyes regarding him curiously.

"You had … more than one?" Naruto said, looking between them.

"And this is why I kept it a secret," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile. "The look on your face is priceless."


	135. Chapter 135

"You should give him the cloak," Yuiko said.

"What cloak?" Kakashi asked. He stood at the window, gently rocking his son. Kakashi admired the child's features in the moonlight, marveling at how incredibly _small_ infants were. The baby stirred slightly, and Kakashi reached up to gently stroke his cheek.

"The cloak you picked out for Naruto," Yuiko said. Her daughter was fast asleep in the crib next to the hospital bed, her hand wrapped tightly around Yuiko's pointer finger.

"I think he would like it," Yuiko continued. "I'm sorry I said it was horrible before."

"I'd forgotten all about it, to be honest," Kakashi said, smiling at her. "But I'll give it to him when I have the chance."

Yuiko returned his smile. Kakashi watched her thoughtfully.

"What really bothered you was that I picked something without you, wasn't it?" he asked.

"Oh, yes," Yuiko said. "But you were just trying to help and make things easier. I'm actually impressed you even found the time. I recently learned that being in charge is … err …"

She trailed off, embarrassed.

As Yuiko was being admitted, Shikamaru quickly dropped the fact that Kakashi supposedly had no idea that she had left the village. He followed up by saying he and Sai would keep everything about their trip under wraps until Yuiko was ready. Yuiko was shocked to learn this, and would have worried about it more if she hadn't had the much more pressing matter of childbirth at hand. She knew that she would have to bring it up _eventually_ , but worried that now may not be the right time. Luckily, Kakashi didn't seem to want to press the matter.

"Ah, you're right," Kakashi said, quickly turning back toward the window. "I have been, ah, very busy."

As far as he knew, Yuiko had no idea that he had left the village. He thanked every supposed deity out there that he had made it back to Konoha right as Yuiko was going in to labor. Kakashi knew that he would have to bring it up _eventually,_ and figured that it would be a good story for them to laugh over … maybe around his children's seventh or eighth birthday.

"I guess I was a little worried," Yuiko said softly. Kakashi turned back to regard her with a quizzical expression.

"I was worried that if we already didn't have the time to coordinate getting a present, then when would we ever have the time to coordinate these two?"

Yuiko raised her free hand to rub her eyes. "But over the past few days, while I've been … _thinking_ … I now understand the kind of pressure you're under, and how hard it can be to decide between the fair decision and the right decision. Maybe sometimes I won't feel it's 'fair' that you don't spend more time with us, but I know that what you'll be doing instead is the right decision – not only for us, but for the village as a whole."

Yuiko dropped her hand to look at Kakashi. He was regarding her as if her skin had suddenly turned orange.

"I thought you didn't take any medication," he said. Yuiko scowled at him.

"Sorry," Kakashi said quickly. "That's just a bit more philosophical than you normally get."

Yuiko regarded him with an annoyed expression. Kakashi took a few steps toward her and gently sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I'm glad you're trying to be understanding. And I promise you that I will do everything in my power to be around for as much as possible. I think it's going to be hard not to be." He looked down, smiling tenderly. "For some reason I feel a little empty whenever I'm not holding at least one of them."

Yuiko started to giggle, fighting to keep her voice down.

"What?" Kakashi asked, his brows drooping.

"Aren't you just precious?" she joked.

"This is a very tender moment," Kakashi stated, "Don't make fun of me."

"It's my coping mechanism," Yuiko said, a smile still on her face. "There's _two_ of them; it's a little disconcerting."

"Huh," Kakashi said, the corners of his eyes crinkling, "I almost believed you."

Yuiko's eyes turned up in a smile as Kakashi looked back at the baby in his arms.

"I'm glad that you're bringing up responsibility," he said. "It's a good trait to have in a Clan Head."

Kakashi felt Yuiko tense next to him. He looked up, regarding the alarmed expression on her face with curiosity.

"What?"

Yuiko blinked, quickly looking away. "N-nothing."

Kakashi tilted his head. "Don't tell me you're going to shirk off your duty after all those lovely things you just said about doing the right thing."

Yuiko's eyes grew wide. She was studying him with the same expression she wore when trying to decipher if Kakashi was trying to trick her in some way.

 _She's probably wondering what I'm trying to saddle her with,_ Kakashi thought, his lids drooping.

"Being the Clan Head isn't much," Kakashi said in a reassuring tone. "Especially when the clan is only four people."

Something clicked behind Yuiko's eyes. She deflated, dipping her head down. "You mean the Hatake clan," she said, sounding relieved.

"Ah," Kakashi said, wondering what she thought he meant. He considered pressing the matter, but Yuiko was still looking a little shaken.

"You've technically been the Clan Head since I took office," Kakashi continued, "but since my status in the Hatake clan has been in a state of limbo, you being the only member waived you from any obligations. However, bringing that number up to three meets the minimum requirement for you to take on clan responsibilities."

Yuiko raised her head to regard him with a tired expression. "Why are you mentioning this now?"

Kakashi's expression turned sheepish. "Ah, sorry," he said. "I was getting ahead of myself. This is the first time in a while my clan has had enough people to even consider this kind of thing and I got a little excited."

Yuiko's gaze softened. "It's an interesting feeling being introduced to new members of your family, isn't it?"

Kakashi nodded as his gaze dropped to the infant in his arms. "Ah; that's a unique way of putting it."

There was a gentle knock on the door, and the pair turned as soft light from the hallway filled the room. Sakura stepped in, pushing a small cart of food items.

"I just thought I'd pop in to check on you all!" she said sweetly.

 _At least she brought food this time,_ Kakashi thought dryly.

Sakura had come over to check on them almost every hour on the dot since the delivery. Her excuses ranged from bringing additional blankets to fetching personal items from their home to offering Kakashi a cot (and then a more _comfortable_ cot after that, even though Kakashi was certain that the hospital only supplied one model).

"Thank you, Sakura," Kakashi said. "Would you do me a favor and hold him while I eat?"

Kakashi knew full well why Sakura was there, and there was no use beating around the bush.

Sakura scooped his son up out of his arms before Kakashi had even finished his sentence. She immediately started to coo at the baby as she walked in circles around the small room.

Kakashi reached over to the cart and plucked up a bowl of pudding for his wife and a cup of soup for himself. He watched Sakura in an amused fashion as she continued speaking gibberish to the sleeping baby. He even pulled down his mask to drink the soup, a smile plastered on his face as his former pupil failed to notice.

Yuiko finished the pudding after a few minutes and handed the bowl back to Kakashi. She motioned for him to hand her a sandwich from the cart, and a thoughtful look grew on her face as she folded back the wrapping.

"Oh, did you tell her yet?" Yuiko asked.

"No, actually," Kakashi said, knowing that there was only one thing Yuiko could mean. He adjusted his mask as Sakura's attention left the child in her arms.

"Tell me what?" Sakura asked, stopping to look up at them.

"We'd like to make you their godmother, if you don't mind," Kakashi said pleasantly.

Sakura stared at Kakashi, her eyes going wide in shock.

"Don't drop my son, please," Kakashi said with an edge of concern.

"I won't!" Sakura said, holding the baby defensively. "I … I just … really?"

"Ah," Kakashi nodded. "We would be honored."

"Ka- Kakashi-Sensei," Sakura said, her eyes welling with tears. She shifted the baby to one arm so she could give Kakashi a hug with the other. She wiped her eyes before moving over to Yuiko and doing the same.

"I don't want you guys to think I'm complaining or anything," Sakura said, looking between them. "But why me?"

"Well, you're one of my dearest friends," Kakashi said with a smile, "and you brought my wife back to life, which earned you a few points."

Sakura laughed, wiping her eyes again.

"You also helped me to pick out their names," Kakashi added, looking down at the bundle in her arms. "I suppose it was both you and Naruto, technically — but mostly you."

"Oh yeah," Sakura said, frowning in concentration. "When did that happen, anyway? I get why you named them that way, but I don't remember picking the names like you said."

Kakashi's eyes turned up in a smile.

"Well then, I guess it's time for a little story."


	136. Chapter 136

"Get up, you dummy."

Naruto groaned, his face still planted firmly on the table.

"This is going to take forever if you don't help!" Sakura snapped.

"It's gonna take forever no matter what!" Naruto whined, shifting his head to gaze up at her. Sakura bristled, slamming down the book in her hand. Naruto immediately sat up, his chair squeaking across the floor as he shifted away.

"I don't know if I can buy you ramen in good conscience if you don't help, Naruto," Kakashi said brightly from across the table.

"What use will that be if I die of starvation before we're even done?!" Naruto shouted, pointing at him accusingly.

Kakashi chuckled. "I think you're blowing this a little out of proportion."

"Cuz it's the most boring thing ever!" Naruto shouted, gripping his hair. "When you asked me to help you move stuff, I thought it was gonna be lifting or somethin' — you know, _moving!_ I didn't think I was gonna have to _read!_ "

"It hardly counts as reading, Naruto," Sakura said.

Kakashi had asked them over on one of his rare days off to help him clear out the spare bedroom in preparation for it becoming a nursery. As it turned out, he was more than capable of taking care of the furniture by sealing it into scrolls. What Kakashi really needed help with was the hundreds of books that had been stacked among the four bookshelves in the room. He wanted to have them all sorted by author and title so he could seal them away in a manner that would be easy for him to find later.

"I do have to say though, Kakashi-Sensei," Sakura said, blushing slightly as she regarded the books' titles, "I'm a little surprised Yuiko let you keep these after you were married."

Sakura turned her head in surprise when Naruto let out a barking laugh.

"What?" she asked.

"If Pervy-Sage is up here," Naruto said, lifting his hand above his head, "and Kakashi-Sensei is here," he continued, lowering his hand a bit, "then Yuiko is …" he paused, before marginally lowering his hand, "… right about there when it comes to pervs."

Sakura gasped. "Don't say that about her!"

"It's true," Kakashi said, setting aside a book. "Most of these are hers. Although, to be fair, I've also read them all."

His eyes turned up in a smile. "If I was the materialistic sort, then I might have married her just to get my hands on this collection. She has a knack for digging up rare prints when she's out on a mission."

Sakura looked at the book in her hand doubtfully. "Yeah, but it sounds like she just collects them. Does she really read them all?"

"Just ask Sai," Naruto said, staring at the cover of the book in his hand as if it had personally insulted him. "He used to come over all the time, and they would giggle on the couch about guys fallin' in love with raccoon-girls or somethin'. It was _weird_."

Sakura stared at him, aghast.

"Oh, they still do that," Kakashi said, picking up another book. "The only difference now is that Ino joins them."

"Ino?!" Sakura shouted, her eyes wide. "Really?!"

"Ah, most of the time," Kakashi nodded. "She's the one who picked out the last book for them to read, too. Something about sexy mermen."

Sakura looked down at the book in her hand in disbelief. "I'm surrounded by perverts."

"Hey!" Naruto said defensively. "I don't read that stuff!"

"Shut up!" Sakura snapped. "Even if you don't, you're still the worst of them all because of that gross jutsu of yours!"

Naruto opened his mouth, but the look on Sakura's face prompted him to quickly snap it shut.

"You'd be surprised how many people read these types of books, Sakura," Kakashi said. "They're becoming quite popular."

"Yeah," Naruto added, glad to guide Sakura's attention away from his sexy jutsu. "Even Captain Yamato would come over sometimes, but he would tell me never to –" Naruto's eyes widened. "Oops."

"Do tell," Kakashi said, putting his head in his hand as he smiled at Naruto from across the table.

"Nothing! Who were we talking about?" Naruto said, feverishly sorting through the books before him as if his life depended on it.

"I already had a hunch that Tenzō read books like these," Kakashi said, waving one about in his free hand. "But there's a bowl of ramen in it for you for every title you can give me that he's read."

Naruto's head snapped up. "Hmm … err … I don't remember what it was called, but I saw him with the one with the lady riding the horse. And she was wearing a big hat – like a pirate's hat! And then there was another one where this man and woman were tangled up in a rose bush …"

"Wow, it really doesn't take much for you to sell him out, does it?" Sakura asked flatly. Naruto ignored her as he continued to ramble on about the books he saw Yamato sneaking out of Yuiko's book club.

Sakura sighed, getting up to fetch another stack of books from the spare bedroom. The sound of Naruto's voice drifted down the hallway as she stepped into the room and zeroed in on the bookshelf to her left. There were only a handful of books left on the top shelf, which she started to stack into her arms. As she reached for the last book, however, a small object fell from the shelf; Sakura quickly snatched it out of the air before it hit the floor. She opened up her palm to regard the small, worn-out ring box. She flipped it open with her thumb, smiling at its contents.

–

"Look what I found!"

Naruto turned about as Sakura skipped into the room.

"Oh great, more books," Naruto said, his brows drooping as he watched her set down another stack.

"Not that," Sakura said. She set down a small box on the table and flicked it open. Naruto's expression immediately brightened.

"Hey! It's the bells!"

He reached into the box and withdrew the small set of bells, holding them up by their red string. He shook his hand to make them jingle.

"I was wondering where those went," Kakashi said. "Thank you for finding them for me."

Sakura waved her hand dismissively. "It was an accident, to be honest. But it is nice to see them again; they hold a lot of memories."

"Yeah they do!" Naruto chirped, smiling broadly as he regarded them. "It was using one of these dumb books that helped us beat Kakashi-Sensei and get a bell last time."

Kakashi chuckled, crossing his arms. "Considering how you two are now, I don't think you'd need to do anything that underhanded to best me anymore."

"I'm sure you still wouldn't make it easy on us," Sakura said with a wink.

"Yeah, you're sneaky," Naruto laughed. He handed the bells to Sakura, who admired them in her palm.

"Would you let me borrow these if I ever train a genin team of my own, Kakashi-Sensei?" she asked.

Kakashi's eyes widened.

"Oh yeah, me too!" Naruto added.

Kakashi looked between his students, touched. "You would want to?" he asked.

"Of course!" Sakura said. "It would be a little weird, since the bells are so inherently _you_ , but it would definitely get the point across."

Kakashi's eyes closed in a smile. "'Inherently me,' huh? That's funny, since I'm not even the one who came up with that exercise."

"Yeah, but …" Naruto said. He scrunched his face up as he struggled to find the right words. "The bell test is like, one of the first things I remember about you. And what it means — like with teamwork and trust and stuff — that's just _you_ , Kakashi-Sensei."

Sakura nodded in concurrence. Kakashi smiled, rising to his feet.

"How about we call it a night, and I treat you two to dinner?" he said.

Naruto was out of his chair and sliding on his sandals in the blink of an eye. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Thanks, Kakashi-Sensei," she said, hitting him with a broad smile.

–

Kakashi stepped into the living room, flicking on the light. He regarded the stacks of books still on the table from earlier that afternoon. His students had offered to come back the next day to finish up, but he politely declined; he had used the task as more of an excuse to see them, and he figured that he could probably finish up the sorting on his own before Yuiko returned home later after finishing up her reports for the barrier team.

Kakashi stood next to the table, his eyes catching the gleam of silver from the bells. He picked them up and held them in his palm. He rolled them about with his finger, listening to the soft tinkling.

' _The bells are so inherently you.'_

' _The bell test is like, one of the first things I remember about you.'_

Kakashi recalled strolling through the grass of the training grounds, the sun shining down to warm his face. He was nervous, since it was the day he was meeting his first genin team, but he worked hard not to let it show.

As he had approached the training posts, his two potential new teammates turned to regard him. One was a boy with shaggy, light brown hair and bright blue eyes. His face was adorned with a wide grin.

The second was a girl with deep violet eyes, her light purple hair tied up in a bun. She smiled at him shyly, and she was the most beautiful thing Kakashi had ever seen.

 _Well, I don't think I actually thought that at the time, but who cares._

Kakashi chuckled to himself. "You two didn't even take the bell test. But I guess you didn't need to, since you already had what it took to make a great team."

' _Today's assignment is to take these bells from me by noon.'_

Another team of genin floated into his mind's eye. His three prospective students stared up at him with various expressions of shock and irritation.

 _Hmm, were they really that short? My my, now I feel old._

' _Wait!'_ the pink-haired girl had shouted.

Kakashi recalled the corner of his lips curling up in a pleased smirk. He had already identified her as the most observant of the bunch, and she wasn't letting that assessment go to waste.

' _Why are there only two bells?'_ she had asked.

He had fully expected their faces to fall in disappointment and despair at his explanation: Only two students could pass, while the loser would go back to the academy.

But they didn't.

Their expressions hardened in determination. And then the one who wore Minato-Sensei's face but bellowed with Kushina's war cry came barreling toward him before he'd even given the signal to begin.

' _I feel like I'm finally starting to like you guys.'_

Kakashi tilted his head back in thought.

"And then I tied a starving Naruto to a post, held a kunai to Sasuke's throat, and told Sakura to kill Naruto to save him." His brow drooped.

"Why Lord Third thought I was fit to be a teacher, I have no clue."

' _The three of us are one!'_

Kakashi's eyes grew soft. The genins' looks of determination had come back, the three of them joining forces to stand against their sadistic sensei.

 _And even though none of you got a bell, you still passed._

"You had gained everything that these represented," he whispered, dropping his gaze. Kakashi's finger hovered over one of the bells. He regarded it for a moment.

"Beru."

His finger moved to the other bell.

"Suzu."

Kakashi pinched the red strings between his fingers, holding the pair of bells above his head.

"Ah, I think that will do."

.

* * *

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A/N: To save the curious among you from some searching …

Beru- "bell"

Suzu- common girls' name meaning "bell/little bell"

And as always, thanks for reading!


	137. Chapter 137

A/N: Just a few chapters of fluff before the final chapter in this arc :P

There are a few readers who are curious about my reasoning behind the twin's names. I considered giving them more "traditional" names, but then I recalled that most of the main characters in Naruto don't really have traditional names, either. Kakashi's name means "scarecrow", and Naruto's name is a ramen topping (I'm still trying to figure out why Iruka was named "dolphin" haha).

So in the tradition of characters being named after somewhat obscure objects and animals, Beru and Suzu are the two bells ^_^

.

* * *

.

"Do you think this is big enough?"

Kakashi waited, gazing over the grassy training field. He took in the smell of damp earth mingled with fresh tree blossoms — a familiar scent this time of year. Small spots of sunlight danced over him as the trees lining the field swayed gently in the wind. The peaceful surroundings gave him an opportunity to attune most of his senses to the child in his arms.

Kakashi held Suzu against his shoulder, her breath tickling his neck as she slept. He took a moment to close his eyes, focusing on the warmth radiating from her small body and the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. He found it calming; akin to the sound of the ocean waves or birdsong. If he pushed his senses even further, he could pick up the sound of her heartbeat. He had a hard time believing he would ever hear a more reassuring rhythm, aside from her brother's own tempo.

Kakashi slowly opened his eyes, realizing that he had yet to hear an answer to his question. He turned his head to regard his companion.

"Yuiko?"

"Huh?" Yuiko said, her eyes darting to meet his. Kakashi watched her steadily. In her arms was Beru, who was busy squirming as he looked about. It didn't appear, however, that Yuiko had noticed. Her wide eyes and stiff posture showed that her emotional state couldn't be any further from her husband's.

"I was wondering if you think this training ground will be large enough," he said.

Yuiko's eyes left his to look over the area. Her mouth stretched into a nervous line. "Yes, I think so," she replied.

Yuiko was clearly flustered, and Kakashi felt a little guilty for finding it adorable. He fought down the urge to make a remark, knowing that it could result in Yuiko losing her conviction and calling the whole thing off.

"You shouldn't worry," Kakashi said instead. "You wouldn't be able to do this if they didn't like you."

Yuiko nodded, although she still seemed less than convinced. Kakashi bumped her with his elbow, motioning for her to hand over their son. Yuiko helped position Beru against Kakashi's free shoulder, where the baby fidgeted against Kakashi's chest.

Yuiko watched the baby with an anxious expression before moving her eyes to meet Kakashi's. Kakashi leaned down to put his forehead against hers.

"They love you just as much as I do. I promise."

Yuiko's expression relaxed slightly, although the tension in her posture remained. She gave a curt nod before turning away from him. Her shoulders rose and fell in a deep breath before she trekked forward to the center of the clearing. Kakashi watched her lift her right arm out of sight, before quickly slamming it on the ground.

"Summoning!"

The entire clearing filled with smoke. Kakashi backed away slightly to keep his children out of the cloud. The smoke was probably harmless, but he could never be too cautious.

"Hey there, Lady Boss," a deep voice said.

Pakkun, along with about 60 or so other ninken, looked up at Yuiko. They sat stock-still, watching her expectantly.

"H-hello," Yuiko said, a nervous smile etched on her face. "It's good to see you a –"

"BOSS!"

The heads of all the dogs immediately snapped to look behind her; ears perked and eyes wide.

"BOSS! BOSS!"

The dogs barreled past Yuiko without a second glance. They streamed around her legs, some of them seemingly annoyed that she was standing in their way. The corner of her smile twitched as she found herself staring at an empty clearing.

"Hey."

Yuiko dropped her gaze to regard the only dog left before her. Pakkun watched her with a bored expression. His appearance hadn't changed much over the years, except for some greying hair about his muzzle.

"You gonna give me some scratches or what?" he asked.

"Pa-Pakkun," Yuiko said, her eyes growing dewy. She fell to her knees, quickly scooping up the pug.

"Hey, gentle," Pakkun said as she squeezed him around the middle. Yuiko didn't let up, and the dog sighed in resignation before giving her cheek a lick.

"Don't mind them," he said. "You're the newbie; the pack doesn't accept anyone right away."

"I LOVE THE LITTLE BOSSES!" a voice cried. Yuiko turned to look over her shoulder. All the dogs were crowded around Kakashi's feet, their eyes locked on the babies in his arms.

"THE LITTLE BOSSES ARE THE BEST!" another dog cried, the others in the pack yipping in agreement.

"When will they be old enough to sign the contract, Boss?" a grey dog asked. Yuiko recognized him as Shiba, one of the original members of Kakashi's pack.

"Ah, not for some time," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile. "It would help if they were at least old enough to write their own name."

Most of the dogs let out sighs of disappointment. Kakashi chuckled, getting down to one knee.

"Just get their scent for now," he said as the dogs swarmed in. "They're a little too young for playtime just yet."

The dogs obediently did as they were told, taking a few whiffs of the babies' scent before backing away. Suzu was still asleep, but a few of them were lucky enough to have their snouts tapped by the curious Beru. Their tails wagged excitedly, and the 'chosen' dogs pranced about their peers with their heads held high.

Yuiko let out a sigh, patting the top of Pakkun's head. "Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Pakkun," she said.

"Eh, they're just jealous," Pakkun said. "They don't like that you're the Boss's favorite."

"I don't believe that for one second," Yuiko said. "But thanks."

Yuiko set Pakkun down as she straightened up. The pug trotted over to Kakashi, whose eyes immediately softened as the dog approached.

 _I think the pack knows who's his favorite,_ Yuiko thought, a genuine smile touching her lips.

"Hey, Boss," Pakkun said. He placed his front paws up on Kakashi's knee to get a better angle to sniff Suzu.

"It's good to see you, Pakkun," Kakashi said, watching the dog fondly. Pakkun shifted his position slightly to sniff Beru.

"I hope you're not going to wait as long to have them sign the contract as you did the last one," Pakkun said. Kakashi sighed.

"I told you, Pakkun; things were busy for a while after the honeymoon."

"For what, fifteen years?" the pug deadpanned. Kakashi's brow knit in confusion.

"That's about how long you were in love with her, Boss," Pakkun continued. "You could've saved yourself a lot of trouble if you just mated with her from the get-go."

Kakashi hit Pakkun with an incredulous look. "I was fifteen, Pakkun," he said.

"That's a lifetime for most dogs," Pakkun said, placing his paws back on the ground. Kakashi straightened up, shifting Beru slightly as they baby started to slide over his shoulder.

"I don't think I knew back then what I felt, either," Kakashi said.

"Well, I did," Pakkun said, taking a seat next to Kakashi. They looked out over the sea of lounging dogs at Yuiko, who was watching them from a distance. Her expression brightened as she caught Kakashi's gaze.

"Is that so?" Kakashi said, returning the smile.

"Yeah," Pakkun said, raising his paw to pat his nose. "I could pick up the pheromones."

"Uh huh," Kakashi said, a dubious inflection to his voice as he glanced down at the dog. "Why do I have a hard time believing that?"

"Probably because it isn't true," the pug replied. "But I didn't need anything like that to tell, anyway."

"And here I thought I was being subtle," Kakashi said, half serious. Pakkun's tail wagged as their gaze met. Kakashi's attention returned to his wife.

Yuiko was sitting down, her figure almost obscured entirely by the massive black dog sprawled in her lap. Bull grunted happily as her fingers ran over his ears and back.

"Did you ask him to do that?" Kakashi asked, looking down at Pakkun expectedly.

"No, actually," Pakkun said. "But Bull's one of the biggest softies – after yours truly."

Kakashi exhaled, his brows drooping. "No one will give me a straight answer when I ask them why they still don't like spending time with her," he said.

"It's a work in progress," Pakkun said. "We canines can pick up on subtle things about people that even they may not be aware of. That's the problem, in Yuiko's case."

Kakashi frowned as he looked down at the pug. Pakkun smiled coyly.

"The thing is," the dog said, "she's a cat person, through-and-through."

Kakashi's expression shifted to one of horror, as if Pakkun had revealed that Yuiko was plotting to burn his book collection.

"Don't look so surprised," the dog said. "You always knew she liked cats."

Kakashi's expression grew thoughtful. "Well, there was the clock," he said. "And the pajamas. And the … the, err, _outfit_ she wears sometimes. But I didn't think it made her a _cat person_."

Pakkun chuckled. "Guess we can't help who we fall in love with, eh Boss?"

Kakashi glanced over in time to see Yuiko fall on her back as Bull rolled over her. She struggled for a moment before phasing through the large dog. Yuiko sat up, her hair sticking up in every direction as she gasped for air with a wide-eyed expression.

"No, I suppose not," he said with a chuckle.


	138. Chapter 138

"'Don't stray too far!' his mother said, bunching her long skirts in one hand as she ran out of the cottage. Goro rolled his eyes; his mother was overreacting. _He_ knew that the monster was only a fairy tale — only babies believed in monsters. And so he kept his sour expression as his mother approached, her breasts bouncing freely in her loose, white tunic. Her hair was a honey blonde, and tickled her protruding –"

"Kakashi."

"Yes?"

"What are you reading?" Yuiko asked, watching him with a puzzled expression.

"A children's book," her husband replied innocently.

"A children's book?"

"Ah."

Yuiko held out the hand that wasn't cradling her son. She motioned for him to hand her the book.

Kakashi rose from where he had been sitting atop the wide wall encompassing the village. He repositioned his grip on his daughter to hand Yuiko the object of her attention. Yuiko studied the book's cover, her brow rising.

"I had no idea Jiraiya wrote a children's book," she said.

"It was never published," Kakashi replied.

"I wonder why?" Yuiko said with a smirk. For a moment she made to hand it back, but then slipped it into a side pouch. Kakashi's face fell.

"This is valuable," Yuiko said, patting the pouch. "I don't want it to get barfed on."

The corners of Kakashi's eyes crinkled. "Ah, of course."

The pair stood in silence as they looked out over the forest. The stars twinkled above, and a gentle breeze rustled their hair. Kakashi looked down at the bundle in his arms.

"Do you think it's too cold?" he asked.

Yuiko shook her head. "It's fine."

Kakashi hummed doubtfully. He rocked the baby back and forth as she stirred in his arms.

"I can raise my body temperature, but I don't want her to get too hot …"

"Kakashi."

Kakashi glanced at Yuiko, who watched him with an amused expression. He huffed.

"If they get sick –"

"They won't get sick."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. Yuiko laughed, which only made him more irritated.

"I've probably been sick twice in my life," Yuiko said, looking out over the trees. "I think they'll be fine."

This made Kakashi feel a little better, although he still didn't appreciate Yuiko's immediate dismissal of his concerns.

"What if they inherited my wimpy immune system?" he asked.

"Oh no," Yuiko deadpanned. "Then they might get sick _three_ times in their life."

Kakashi stepped closer, bumping his shoulder against hers. Yuiko returned the gesture with a grin.

"I don't need the sarcasm, just the support," he said.

"But where's the fun in that?" Yuiko asked, adjusting her son's shirt further up his neck.

Kakashi sighed, watching her with a tired expression. This was the first time in his life that he felt entirely lost on a subject that Yuiko excelled at. He wondered if this was a feeling that others had watching him outperform them in just about everything related to being a shinobi. No matter how many parenting books he had pored over to reach this moment, he still felt completely unprepared.

 _Lucky for me, I'm sitting next to the smartest girl in class, and I get to copy her homework._

Yuiko was watching the horizon now, and her expression brightened. Kakashi followed her line of sight, and he could make out a colossal shadow in the distance.

"They're late," Kakashi said. Yuiko hit him with an incredulous expression. She shook her head, bringing her attention back to the growing shadow.

After a few minutes, a creature with enough power to cause earthquakes, level mountains, and bring an ocean to a boil towered over them. The beast lowered its head, leveling the pair with a steady stare. Its piercing blue eyes danced between the children in their arms … and it hummed in a way that reminded Kakashi of a mother dog admiring her pups.

"How was your journey, Kokuō?" Yuiko asked, using her free hand to pat the beast's snout.

"Unbearably slow," the Tailed Beast replied. It positioned its snout closer to Yuiko to better catch the baby's scent. "I have to be cautious of settlements; new ones seem to pop up every day."

"We're working on that," Kakashi said. The beast turned its head in his direction. Kakashi fought to keep his composure. He was far more used to Kokuō now, but the beast still had a commanding presence that put him on edge.

"The other Kage and I are working on an agreement to set apart tracts of land specifically for the Tailed Beasts," Kakashi continued. "This will include keeping areas clear for you to travel to and from the major villages, if possible."

Kokuō watched him steadily for a moment. It moved its muzzle closer. "That is very kind of you, Scarecrow."

Kakashi glanced over to Yuiko. She smiled at him and nodded. He cautiously raised his free hand and reached out to pet the fur near Kokuō's nostril. The tension in his shoulders relaxed slightly.

"So," Kokuō said. "Who are your tiny comrades?"

Kakashi waited, stroking Kokuō's fur. He looked over in confusion when Yuiko didn't answer. She was watching him expectantly, and motioned for him to speak. A smile grew beneath his mask. Yuiko knew that introducing his children had quickly become one of his guilty pleasures.

"This little tyke is Suzu," he said, fondly looking down at her. "Her hobbies include sleeping, eating, and more sleeping. Just like her father."

Yuiko laughed. The sound filled Kakashi's heart, and he couldn't wait until his children were old enough to do the same.

"The bundle of energy over in my beautiful wife's arms is Beru," Kakashi continued. "He's sleeping now, but when he's awake he likes to mumble, cry, and get into trouble – just like his mother."

Yuiko's smile vanished. Kakashi's eyes turned up in amusement.

"Careful, Scarecrow," Kokuō said. "I know what she's capable of."

"Ah, so do I," he replied. "I'm probably going to pay for that."

Kakashi and Kokuō shared a chuckle as Yuiko pursed her lips. Her cheeks grew red in embarrassment, and she looked away.

"They're beautiful," Kokuō said, bringing its attention back to the child in Kakashi's arms. The silver strands of hair atop Suzu's head swayed as Kokuō's nostrils expelled a puff of air.

"I normally am not fond of human children," Kokuō continued. "Most Tailed Beasts aren't, to my knowledge."

 _Reasonable,_ Kakashi thought.

Children were a preferred vessel for Tailed Beasts, since it was easier for a child's chakra coils to mold to contain the beast's chakra without the damage that the more rigid chakra structure of an adult would take. There was also a strong correlation between how young a child was made a jinchūriki and how much control they had over the beast.

 _How sad it must be to look at a child and only experience fear,_ Kakashi thought.

"But these two," Kokuō said, resting its chin atop the wall, "I would lay down my life for them."

Kakashi regarded the beast with new admiration. Saying it would do so for Yuiko was one thing, but making such a pledge to people it just met was another.

"Kokuō," Yuiko said softly. Her eyes grew dewy as she regarded the beast.

"Hopefully it will never come to that," Kakashi said, reaching out to put his palm against the white fur. "But thank you, all the same."

Kokuō regarded him before withdrawing its head. "I believe it's time for me to go," it said. Yuiko opened her mouth, but she seemed to pick up on something that Kakashi couldn't detect and quickly closed it.

"You two have enough to worry about without having a beast on your doorstep," it continued. "I'll try to find somewhere not too far, all the same."

Yuiko smiled. "I'm glad," she said. "I would like for them to get to know you as much as they can."

Kokuō returned the smile. "The feeling is mutual." It turned its head to regard Kakashi. "Your family continues to grow, Scarecrow. I hope you can handle it."

Kakashi smiled softly. "Ah, so do I."

Kokuō nodded, and Kakashi returned the gesture.

"Until next time, little mouse," Kokuō said, regarding Yuiko. "I'm expecting the sound of bells to herald your arrival."

"I'm sure they'll be loud, alright," Yuiko said with a laugh. "But I don't think they'll sound like anything as pleasant as bells."

Kokuō gently nudged Yuiko's shoulder before turning to leave. Kakashi watched the beast's retreating form for a moment before turning about.

There were groups of people in the streets below, chatting among themselves as they looked up in their direction. Once it was clear that Kokuō wasn't returning, they started to disperse. They could likely hear what Kokuō was saying during the exchange, although it didn't bother Kakashi as much as he thought it would.

Kokuō was generally kind and well-spoken, which could only help ease the minds of any citizens worried about having a free Tailed Beast close to the village. Improving the public perception of the Tailed Beasts was another project the Kage had on the back burner, although as time passed, positive public relations seemed to be quickly rising on its own. After their help during the incident with the Moon, most people viewed the beasts as allies, but there was still some discontent among those who recalled their negative impacts in the past. That discontent was seeming to sputter out, however, as time passed without the beasts causing any incidents.

"There are so many others I wish they could meet," Yuiko said, drawing Kakashi out of his thoughts. He turned to see her gently rocking Beru back and forth, looking melancholy.

Kakashi's gaze softened at the sight of the bittersweet smile on her face.

"They will meet them," Kakashi said, stepping up beside her. He patted the spot on his chest beneath his collarbone. "You told me that everyone who we ever loved is always with us, right here, remember?"

Yuiko smiled, nodding.

"If our children know us, then they'll know them," Kakashi said, gently tucking a strand of hair behind Yuiko's ear. Kakashi could only hope that the look he was giving her was filled with the same amount of love as what she gave him in return.

Suzu stirred in his arm … and sneezed. Kakashi's form went rigid, and Yuiko's eyes immediately widened in alarm.

"Kakashi, she's fine. Let's just –"

But in the blink of an eye, Beru was scooped out of her arms, and the rest of the Hatake clan was gone in a swirl of leaves. Yuiko let out an exasperated sigh. She leapt off the wall and over the rooftops in the direction of the hospital.


	139. Chapter 139

"He-hey!" Temari stuttered, her cheeks growing pink. "What do you think you're doing?"

Shikamaru wasn't entirely sure how to answer that question, himself. It was the day of Naruto and Hinata's wedding, and Shikamaru had simply been minding his own business in the large field that was the reception area as he waited for the ceremony to start.

Temari had approached him then, her blonde hair up in pigtails and her attire a purple skirt with a plain, white top. It wasn't a particularly glamorous look, but Temari wasn't the type for dressing up, which was something Shikamaru liked about her — one of many things, as he was starting to admit to himself. So when she started ribbing his attendance to the event based on the number of single women about, he decided to settle the matter by taking her hand.

"I've actually been trying not to overthink things lately," Shikamaru said coyly. It was an odd feeling for him, but a little exhilarating at the same time. Although the light feeling in his stomach started to become somewhat distressing when he realized he wasn't sure what to do from there. Temari's face growing gradually redder wasn't helping, either.

"Everyone is looking at us," Temari said, her tone much softer than usual. She seemed anxious, but didn't make a move to release her hand from his.

"Come on, Temari," Shikamaru said, keeping his tone as reassuring as possible. "No one is —"

He frowned, spotting Sai and Ino staring at them from a few yards away. The two of them were also holding hands, and Sai waved pleasantly when Shikamaru met his gaze.

"Go Shikamaru!" Ino shouted gleefully.

Shikamaru sighed, doing his best to ignore them as Temari squirmed uncomfortably. He gazed around the grassy field, and his eyes suddenly brightened.

"I don't think you need to worry; no one's going to notice us now," Shikamaru said with a chuckle.

"Huh?" Temari said, finally lifting her gaze from the ground. Shikamaru smiled, pointing. Temari followed his gaze and watched a small crowd form as the Hokage arrived.

Kakashi was wearing Konoha's standard dress outfit, which was simply a black pair of trousers with a black, long-sleeved shirt accented with a red pocket square. He had removed the Hokage hat and cloak that he'd worn earlier to meet the visiting Kage as they arrived, but seemed to have switched the attire out with something the guests were finding far more interesting.

Kakashi had a black baby carrier attached to his chest that held one of his newborn children. Shikamaru wasn't able to tell which one it was at a distance, though he doubted he could do so even up close. Kakashi had his hands in his pockets, casually chatting with various guests as they pushed their way in front of him. Shikamaru heard a high-pitched squeal from behind him and smirked as he watched Ino violently yank Sai in Kakashi's direction.

"Oh, that's right," Temari said. "With everything going on, I almost forgot that the Hokage's children were born."

Shikamaru snorted, but didn't care to elaborate when Temari gave him a questioning look.

"So … cute …" a voice said from behind him. Shikamaru jumped and turned around to see Yuiko standing directly beside him, her hands on her cheeks.

"I'm so happy for you Shikamaru!" she squeaked through tears.

Yuiko had her hair up in an elaborate braided bun and wore a kimono of seafoam green with a repeating pattern of golden lotus flowers. She had a baby sling around her shoulder made of the same cloth as her dress. Shikamaru looked down at the baby, whose wide-eyed expression seemed to match the look of surprise on his own. Kakashi now had nearly half of the guests clamoring around him, but somehow Yuiko had been able to go unnoticed. Shikamaru wondered if the two of them had planned it that way.

"Oh, hey Yuiko," Shikamaru said. "You've, uh … met Temari."

"Lady Yuiko," Temari nodded. Temari was acting far more stiff than normal, but the pinkish hue of her cheeks indicated that she was still recovering from the earlier shock.

"Oh, that's right!" Yuiko said, her hands vanishing into a pocket as she fished for something. "Shikamaru, you left this on your desk! It's a good thing I happened to pop in your office this morning."

She held her fist out before her, smiling sweetly. Shikamaru hesitantly opened his palm up beneath hers, his eyes widening as she dropped a necklace onto his hand.

"You went to all the trouble of picking it out; It would have been awful if you'd forgotten to give this to her while she's here!" Yuiko chirped.

"Uh …" Shikamaru said, his cheeks growing red as he stared at the piece of jewelry. The necklace was a simple silver chain attached to an orange-pink blown-glass flower that glittered in the sunlight.

 _Oh, man … Why did she put me on the spot for this? Temari doesn't even like this kind of girly stuff._

"Is that … a Desert Sunset?" Temari asked, her eyes growing large.

"Eh?" Shikamaru said, glancing at her.

"It is!" Yuiko interjected. "I could hardly believe it when Shikamaru showed me! He said there was a vendor who made glass jewelry of a variety of regional flowers. Desert Sunsets are quite a rare cactus; it's a pity they're so hard to cultivate, because the blooms are so pretty! I can see why they're your favorite!"

Yuiko gave Shikamaru a soft shove, prompting him to hand the necklace to Temari.

"Th-thank you," Temari said softly, her face growing red again as she regarded the necklace. Shikamaru glanced at Yuiko, finding that the pleased smirk on her face reminded him a little too much of an expression he'd seen Naruto make before.

 _I thought it was the adults who were supposed to rub off on the kids, not the other way around. At least she has more tact,_ Shikamaru thought.

Temari fastened the chain around her neck, smiling as she turned the glass flower to catch the light. Shikamaru regarded her warmly, doing his best to push away the thought of _how_ exactly Yuiko had gone about learning what Tamari's favorite flower was. Yuiko beamed at the two of them before blinking quickly as a thought hit her.

"Oh, that's right!" she chuckled sheepishly. "I haven't even let Suzu say hello!"

Yuiko lifted the baby from her sling and handed her off to Shikamaru.

"Hey, come on," Shikamaru grumbled, although only half-heartedly. He was actually a little pleased to find that the baby was the girl Suzu, who from his visits to the hospital he knew to be more mild-mannered than her brother. Suzu stuffed her fist into her mouth and looked about lazily.

Shikamaru rocked Suzu for a bit before handing her off to Temari. Temari held the baby rather stiffly, sheepishly admitting that she didn't have much experience holding children.

"They're more durable than you think!" Yuiko said, taking Suzu from Temari's outstretched hands. "There was this one incident where Naruto hit his head and I thought the damage could be pretty bad … but he was just fine! He started acting a lot rowdier after that, but Mikoto said it was normal for a boy his age."

 _Oh, what might have been ..._ Shikamaru thought wistfully.

"Sorry, there was only so long I could keep the masses at bay," a voice from behind them said.

Kakashi approached them with his son, Beru, fast asleep in the carrier on his chest.

"Is she awake?!" Ino exclaimed, her hand suddenly pushing against Shikamaru's face as she shoved him aside.

"She is," Yuiko said, tilting Suzu up in her arms. Sakura appeared behind Kakashi, followed by Chōji and Kiba. There was soon a thrumming crowd around Yuiko, and Shikamaru allowed himself to be pushed back as more onlookers joined the ranks. He reached out to take Temari's hand, although this time it was also an attempt to keep from being separated.

The two of them put some distance between themselves and the throng. He felt some sympathy for Yuiko and Kakashi, who were probably going to be swamped with well-wishers until the bride and groom made an appearance.

 _Better them than me,_ Shikamaru thought with a relieved sigh.

"Is that … Neji?" Temari said, looking over his shoulder in confusion. Shikamaru turned about, following her gaze to the nearby refreshment table.

A man in elaborate black robes was chastising a young man who appeared to be a member of the catering staff. The boy stuttered apologetically when it was clear that they had brought the wrong shade of white for the napkins.

"I don't think so," Shikamaru said with a smirk. "As if Neji would –"

The ornately dressed man turned about, and Shikamaru's remark died on his lips. Neji's long hair had been put up in a bun, which from behind made him hard to identify, but now there was no doubt.

"Please inform your superior that we require 600 _eggshell white_ napkins," Neji said, his expression turning sour. "The cream color here would ruin the entire effect of the table setting. And I noticed the cooler you brought for the sake — I would like to examine the bottles to ensure that the correct amount of plum sake has been provided."

The young man blinked in amazement. "You can see that? That cooler is all the way outside the park!"

Neji stared at him with a blank expression. The staff member awkwardly cleared his throat and turned to leave the clearing, Neji on his heels.

"Now I've seen everything," Temari said, stunned.

"Maybe I should hire him for my wedding," Shikamaru joked. Temari didn't reply, and Shikamaru realized his mistake when he glanced over to see that her cheeks were once again a deep crimson.

Shikamaru was saved the trouble of babbling through a hasty explanation by Konohamaru loudly announcing that it was time to be seated for the ceremony. He let out a relieved sigh as they started to walk.

Groups began to break apart as everyone headed toward the ceremony site. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow when he noticed that once again Yuiko had appeared at his side.

"You're going the wrong way," she said, "we're sitting in the family section."

Yuiko smiled, giving Shikamaru's sleeve a slight tug. He blinked in surprise, but followed along after her. The crowd parted, and he spotted the back of Chōji's head bobbing between the aisles of short benches toward the front. Kakashi was waiting for them at the back, his eyes turning up in a smile as he clapped Shikamaru on the shoulder.

"Is it alright if I sit in this section?" Temari asked, looking down the aisle sheepishly.

"Of course," Kakashi replied warmly. "Gaara and Kankurō are already seated there, after all."

"I'll be there in a minute," Shikamaru said with a smile. Temari returned the gesture and politely inclined her head to Kakashi and Yuiko before making her way down the aisle.

"Err, thanks for the …" Shikamaru cleared his throat pointedly. He was pretty sure Temari was out of earshot, but he could never be too careful.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yuiko said cheerfully.

"Oh, my mistake then," Shikamaru said, smirking.

"If there should be any thanks going around," Kakashi said, "than it should be me thanking you, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru glanced at Yuiko, who looked back at him with a puzzled expression.

"For … what, exactly?" Shikamaru asked.

"For covering for me while I'm out," Kakashi said. "It shouldn't be for more than three weeks. Four, tops."

"Wha-what?" Shikamaru stuttered.

"Oh, Shizune and some of the other jōnin will be helping out, of course, so no need to worry," Kakashi added happily.

"Wh-why?" Shikamaru asked, his head spinning.

"Huh? I'm going on paternity leave," Kakashi said, as if it was obvious. "There was too much to do for me to take time off before the wedding, but now that it's over, I'll be spending some time at home."

Shikamaru stared at him, his eyebrow twitching.

"Think of it as hands-on training!" Kakashi said, mimicking Guy's enthusiasm with a thumbs-up.

"You'll do great, Shikamaru!" Yuiko said encouragingly, also flashing him a thumbs-up. "You're the most reliable person we know!"

 _Sometimes I start to question if that's something I want to be known for,_ Shikamaru thought.

–

 _Shikamaru looks like he's about to faint,_ Sakura thought.

She knew that Naruto and Shikamaru had grown closer over the past few years, but it was a bit surprising to see the normally stoic Shikamaru apparently overcome with emotion as he made his way to his seat.

Sakura started to head toward the rows of benches herself when something moved in the corner of her eye. She looked between the flower-laden branches of the adjacent forest, and frowned when she spotted what appeared to be a figure standing in the shadows. She saw the outline of a face, which made it clear that the observer wasn't a member of the Anbu.

Sakura approached the figure with caution; it would be downright suicidal for anyone to try pulling something nefarious considering that almost all of the most powerful shinobi among the nations were present, but she could never be too careful. The figure's face came in to view as Sakura rounded one of the trees. She froze in her tracks.

Sasuke's gaze shifted from the crowd to land on her. He watched her with a blank expression.

"You're … here," Sakura said in disbelief.

Sasuke regarded her for a few more seconds before returning his attention to the throng. The pair stood in silence as Sakura's shock rolled off.

"You really came," she said, walking over to stand beside him.

Sasuke looked at her again. "I didn't have –"

He stopped, schooling his features back to an impassive mask. Sakura watched him curiously.

"Why are you just standing back here?" she asked.

"I can see from here," he replied.

An annoyed line formed between Sakura's brows. "That's not really the point of you being here, you know."

Sasuke didn't reply. Sakura huffed, grabbing him by the wrist. She tried to drag him along, but Sasuke stood firm.

"Unless you want to try going through life without _both_ arms," she said, not bothering to look back, "then you'd better follow me."

Sakura tugged again, and this time Sasuke took a step forward. She guided him out of the trees and in to the clearing of the ceremony site. They walked between the aisles, and Sakura pointedly ignored the temporary hush that fell over the crowd. She located the empty bench space toward the front next to Kakashi. She sat down heavily, glaring up at Sasuke until he seated himself beside her.

"Thank you for helping Sasuke find his seat, Sakura," Kakashi said, leaning forward to smile pleasantly. "It's quite crowded, and I was a little worried he'd get lost."

Kakashi's eyes glittered in amusement as Sasuke scowled. Yuiko leaned into view behind Kakashi, waving gently.

"Sasuke!" Yuiko said. "I dropped off your present; I think it's going to make Naruto very happy!"

Sakura whipped her head around to regard Sasuke in shock. A light blush touched his cheeks as he stared pointedly ahead.

"What did you get him?" she asked. Sasuke looked down at her, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

"Apparently, Sasuke was on a mission recently in a place that had incredible ramen," Kakashi said. "He got a hold of one of their recipes, and my wife brought it by Ichiraku Ramen for him."

"The owner seemed to think very highly of it," Yuiko added. "He said he's going to work it into the menu as soon as possible and let Naruto be the first to try it."

"Although, I bet Naruto would enjoy it even more if you were there, Sasuke," Kakashi added. "I'm sure you'll have the time, since you'll be around."

 _Huh?!_

"Wait – you're staying?!" Sakura shouted.

"You don't have to be so loud," Sasuke grumbled.

"Ah," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up as he smiled. "Sasuke here has taken an interest in fūinjutsu, and will be joining Sai in Yuiko's lessons."

"Fūinjutsu?" Sakura said. "Why fūinjutsu?"

Sasuke regarded her from the corner of his eye. "I've located some ruins associated with the Ōtsutsuki clan that Black Zetsu was trying to revive," he said. "Some of them contain symbols I don't recognize, and are too complex for me to solve using the sharingan alone."

Sakura's expression turned thoughtful. "Huh, I guess that makes sense," she said with a nod. "So, how long will that take?"

"At least three years."

Sakura turned to stare at Yuiko, who had chimed in. Yuiko watched them passively, rocking the child in her arms.

"I'm not staying for that long," Sasuke said flatly.

Yuiko tilted her head. "Sakura asked how long it would take for you to learn how to read the symbols and examine the seals on those ruins. From what you described, it would take you at least three years to learn all the older symbols and how to move chakra through them properly. I was learning them my entire life up until I came to Konoha, so that's still impressive."

"The more likely solution," Kakashi said, "since my precious student doesn't possess that level of patience, is to study for at least a few months, then head out with a teammate who is better suited at deciphering complex seals."

Sakura shifted her focus to Yuiko. "With you?"

"Most likely," Yuiko nodded.

"Ah, Yuiko and Sasuke seem to be getting along suspiciously well all of a sudden," Kakashi said. Sasuke continued to watch Kakashi coolly, but a twitch in Yuiko's shoulders betrayed her discomfort.

Considering that his wife previously seemed to be completely lost over why Kakashi and his other pupils were so fond of his wayward student, her newfound tolerance for Sasuke was remarkable. Kakashi had even stopped home a few times over the past few weeks to find Sasuke rapidly filling out a scroll while Yuiko strolled around the dining room with a baby in each arm as she prattled on about the old sealing symbols. One of these times Kakashi had even held himself back from entering the house as Yuiko finished up a story about Sasuke's mother. It didn't seem to matter much, though, as Sasuke came barreling out a moment later, when the story ended with Yuiko revealing that Sasuke had been her first test subject when it came to learning how to change a diaper.

It took a few days, but amazingly, Sasuke returned to pick up his lessons. Kakashi knew that Sasuke was prideful enough not to do that for someone he didn't like, even if they had information he needed. There appeared to be a mutual respect between the two that had seemingly appeared overnight.

"Well, I suppose it's to be expected that they would get along," Kakashi continued. "They are both the quiet type; it's probably a relief from the usual company."

The tension in Yuiko's shoulders subsided as she let out a soft sigh. Sakura watched the display in utter confusion.

 _Wait, did Kakashi-Sensei just insult me?_ Sakura thought, and her expression soured.

"Oh yes — before I forget," Kakashi said, "since Sasuke's reinstatement as a citizen of Konoha is still in the works, he'll need someone to check in on him every now and then. I unfortunately don't have the Anbu to spare, so I was hoping you could fill that position, Sakura."

 _Like hell you don't!_ Sakura thought, a blush creeping over her cheeks.

"I can't do that, Kakashi-Sensei!" she said. "I'm busy at the hospital."

"It wouldn't be too bad," Kakashi said, waving away her concern. "You'd just check up on him when you have the time; that's all."

Sakura scowled at the carefree expression on Kakashi's face.

"That would be fine."

Sakura turned at the sound of Sasuke's voice. She held his gaze for a heartbeat before quickly looking away.

Sasuke continued to watch Sakura for a moment before lifting his eyes to regard his former sensei. Kakashi had leaned over to whisper something in Yuiko's ear, and her shoulders began to shake as she stifled laughter behind her hand. Kakashi leaned back, absentmindedly running his fingers through the hair of the baby strapped to his chest. Sasuke studied the soft smile on his face as Kakashi warmly regarded his surroundings.

'… _there are people there who are in pain every day you're gone.'_

Watching Kakashi and Sakura, Sasuke had a hard time believing they'd been in much pain. The distant expression that used to linger behind his sensei's eye was gone, replaced by a mischievous twinkle that would only have made rare appearances when he was younger. Kakashi's body language was relaxed, but in a way that seemed more natural that it had been before.

Sakura acted differently, too. She held her head up higher, and her presence alone commanded attention.

A little over a month after Kakashi's coronation, he had visited Sasuke in Konoha's holding cells to inform him that he couldn't yet reinstate him as a citizen of Konoha due to relations with the other villages. Kakashi had promised him that he would work on it, but in the meantime Sasuke was free to live outside the village as long as he took missions at Kakashi's discretion and stayed out of trouble. Sasuke had agreed to these terms, and walked out the front gate with little fanfare.

Sasuke had been a little surprised when Naruto was the only other member of Team 7 to see him off. As much as he'd tried to convince himself that it didn't mean anything, he couldn't help but linger on Sakura's slight. It was only exemplified by the fact that she hadn't visited him once during the weeks he spent in the holding cell.

He hadn't realized it until then, but Sakura had been a constant presence in his life — a lingering manifestation in his subconscious that represented the small part of him that just wanted to go home. Knowing that he no longer had her support hurt more than he'd ever thought it could. And he, oddly, found now that he wanted to get it back. With the prospect of spending more time in the village, hopefully he could do just that.

"Lady Yuiko, it's time."

The group turned to regard the formally dressed Neji Hyūga standing in the center aisle.

"Oh!" Yuiko said, quickly handing the child in her arms to her husband. She rose and starting smoothing out the material of her dress.

Neji cleared his throat impatiently. Yuiko grew flustered, phasing through her companions in an effort to quickly exit the row.

"Don't choke up there," Kakashi joked, waving as she left. Yuiko shot him an annoyed look before turning around.

While Naruto had asked Iruka to stand in for his father during the ceremony, Yuiko had been requested to stand in for his mother. Yuiko had complained that it made her seem old, but only after she had finished crying for nearly an hour after Naruto made the proposition. Kakashi's joke about Yuiko losing her composure during the ceremony had quite a bit more truth behind it than she would have liked.

Kakashi's eyes shifted from his wife's retreating form to the pair beside him. Sakura had gladly taken Suzu from Kakashi's arms when offered, and had even gone so far as to ask Sasuke to hold her. Sasuke flatly refused. Sakura took this as an offense on Kakashi's behalf, and chided him on not wanting to get to know his sensei's children.

The corners of Kakashi's eyes crinkled in a smile as he watched Sasuke cradle Suzu in his arm. Despite his display of reluctance, Kakashi was well aware that Sasuke had a bit of a soft spot for his children. Sasuke would never make a request to see or hold them, but any suggestion to do so when no one other than Kakashi was around was met with little resistance. It was incredibly adorable; Kakashi had tucked this observation away to use the next time Sasuke required a bit of teasing.

Light flute music suddenly cut through the air, and the crowd's clamor began to quiet down. Kakashi turned to look down the center aisle, where the wedding party approached. The rows of benches were at capacity now, filled with guests ranging in rank from genin to Kage and a number of civilians. Their attire created a sea of colors that stretched all the way to the tree line of the clearing in nearly every direction, and Kakashi's heart glowed from the looks of admiration and joy in the eyes of all who regarded the bride and groom.

Hinata was the very picture of a blushing bride, with Naruto grinning ear-to-ear beside her. He looked more grown up than Kakashi had ever seen him – a likely side effect of his wearing something that wasn't bright orange for a change.

Yuiko and Iruka walked behind him, the latter awkwardly patting his companion on the back as tears streamed down her face. Yuiko's hands hovered beside her cheeks as she fought the losing battle of wiping all her tears away with her sleeves.

 _Well, at least she was able to hold back until the ceremony started,_ Kakashi thought, smiling sheepishly.

As the wedding party neared the front of the clearing, Naruto's gaze landed on Kakashi's group. His cheerful expression disappeared momentarily as he regarded Sasuke. Sasuke returned his stare with a slight nod. Naruto's face broke in to a smile that dangerously threatened to bring tears to Kakashi's eyes; he fought to keep himself composed, since between his wife and children he felt that at least _one_ member of the Hatake family should be able to hold it together.

* * *

A/N: And that's the end of the wedding arc, which turned out to be waaaaaay longer than I thought it would be initially. haha

The next arc starts up on Friday, and as always I appreciate all of support and feedback I get from you all. Thank you! ^_^


	140. Chapter 140

"Papa."

Something small and soft patted against Kakashi's cheek. He groaned, rolling away and pulling up the bed sheets in an attempt to burrow himself deeper into their comfort.

"Papa."

Now his hair was being pulled — a sensation that he couldn't pretend to ignore. Kakashi rolled over, lazily opening one eye. A pair of violet eyes stared back at him, slightly drooped to mimic his own.

"You're saying it wrong," Kakashi said groggily. "It's only 'Papa' when it's after noon. Before that, you say 'Mama.'"

Suzu looked back at him like he was an idiot. Kakashi would never admit it, but having a five-year-old look at you that way actually stung.

"Mama asked me to wake you," Suzu said.

Kakashi's brows drooped. Suzu's eyes tracked his movements as he heaved himself up into a sitting position. He pushed the covers away and swung his legs over the side of the bed, scratching his head as he regarded his daughter. Her silver hair still fell over her shoulders, which indicated that his wife hadn't been up long enough to both prepare breakfast and style Suzu's hair. This left a little wiggle room.

"I'm up," Kakashi said, gesturing toward the door. "Let me get dressed."

Since Kakashi was already wearing the usual black jumpsuit and face mask, all "getting dressed" really entailed was the addition of his flak jacket and headband.

Suzu stood her ground. "No," she said firmly.

Kakashi sighed. Tricking Suzu to leave him alone so he could go back to bed seemed to be getting harder every day. It wasn't often that he had the opportunity to sleep in, and his daughter was unfortunately too young to grasp that concept. Although …

"You said your mother asked you to wake me," Kakashi said, leaning forward until his face was inches from hers. "Is that true?"

Suzu continued to watch him with a moody expression. She nodded slightly.

 _She's getting better at lying. I can already tell this is going to give me problems in the future._

Kakashi flared his senses, keeping his eyes steadily locked with Suzu's. "Will you go get your brother for me?" he asked.

Suzu flinched. The corners of Kakashi's eyes crinkled, a smug smile growing beneath his mask.

 _Got you._

"Beru's busy," Suzu said with a slight fidget.

"Oh?" Kakashi said, tilting his head. "What's he busy with?"

Suzu's nose momentarily scrunched up in concentration before her features relaxed. "He's planting strawberries in the yard."

"He's planting strawberries in the yard," Kakashi repeated, leaning his head in his hand. Truthfully, Suzu had already won this battle of wills since he no longer wanted to go back to sleep. He was more interested in playing their game and seeing how far he could go before Suzu admitted defeat.

"Can you call for him to come here, then?" Kakashi asked innocently. Suzu's nose scrunched up again before relaxing.

"He'll get dirt on the floor," she said, the smallest of smiles growing on her face. Kakashi hated when anyone tracked in dirt beyond the entryway, and it was something her brother was notorious for without an adult to shake him off first.

"Actually," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile, "your mother figured out a new seal that keeps dirt out of the house. Beru can run right in and the dirt will just fall off. So ask him to come here, please."

Suzu's lips pursed as if she'd bit a lemon. To her credit, she kept her gaze firmly locked with Kakashi's. He could practically hear the gears turning in her head as she fought for another excuse.

"I'm home!"

Suzu turned toward the door and Kakashi lifted his eyes. The sound of swift footsteps filled the hallway; a figure skidded to a stop in the doorway, bumping against the doorframe before quickly changing course and barreling into the room.

"It was warm at the market!" Beru exclaimed, jumping on the bed. His spiky silver hair sprung up and down as he hopped toward Kakashi.

"Was it?" Kakashi asked, watching Beru bounce among the sheets. "You still have your scarf on, though."

"Cuz it was warm, but not hot," Beru said, plopping down beside him. He tugged at the green scarf around his neck as he beamed up at Kakashi, his eyes alight with excitement. His eyes were the same shade of purple as his sister's, although they were a rounder shape, similar to his mother's. Aside from that, Beru was the spitting image of Kakashi when he was younger, although there was no else who could verify that fact due to Kakashi's lifelong affinity of sporting a mask.

Kakashi's eyes drifted down, a hard line forming between his brows. "You still have your shoes on," he said.

"Oops," Beru said. He bent over to loosen his sandals. The shoes fells from his feet, slapping against the hardwood floor. Kakashi looked over the bed with a tired expression, resigned to the fact that he now needed to wash the sheets.

"Beru's here," Suzu chimed. A smug grin adorned her face as Kakashi regarded her. She turned her back to him and walked out of the room.

"Beru, did you take your shoes off?" Yuiko's voice echoed from down the hall.

"Ah!" Beru exclaimed, hopping off the bed. He dashed toward the door, but did a quick 180 and scooped up his shoes. He rushed out of the room, the green scarf around his neck trailing behind him. The cloth billowed around the corner, and Beru disappeared from sight.

Kakashi closed his eyes, tilting his head to the side as he listened to the sounds drifting down the hall. Yuiko's footsteps were soft, but he could still tell she was in the kitchen based on the way her voice carried through the house. Her tone was lighthearted, but the curtness of her answers to Suzu's questions indicated that she was trying to get breakfast finished around her daughter's request for attention. Suzu seemed to be pondering how wide each face on the Hokage Monument was, and didn't appear deterred by Yuiko's unsteady knowledge of the subject. Over all of this, Beru shouted from the living room that someone had moved his book.

Kakashi opened his eyes. He shook his head and stretched, arching his back with a groan.

"Time to get up," Kakashi said, finally rising from bed.

—

"There was a beetle at the market!"

"Hmm."

"He was black with blue spots," Beru continued, shoveling more rice into his mouth. "He let me get right up to him without flying away!"

"Was he for sale?" Kakashi asked. He watched his son coolly from the other side of the table. Beru froze mid-bite into a pickled radish.

"Eww, gross!" Beru said. He laughed, seemingly amused by the mental image. "Who would want to buy a _beetle_ _?_ "

"Anko-Sensei's friend likes beetles," Suzu said. She sat beside her brother, watching him passively. "Kasume says he has a bunch as pets."

"Do you mean Shino?" Yuiko asked. She smiled warmly from the head of the table, a bowl of rice in hand. "He's helping Anko-Sensei in your class now, right?"

"Ah," Beru said, picking the carrots off his rice. "He's like a robot, but not really as cool."

Yuiko frowned. "That wasn't a nice thing to say," she said sternly. "And you need to eat your carrots."

"They're gross!" Beru protested. "And Suzu'll eat them!"

"Beru," Kakashi said. Beru pouted at his father's impassive stare.

"Beru, would you like some ice cream instead?" Yuiko asked sweetly. Beru's head snapped around, his eyes shining in expectation. In a flash, Yuiko plucked a piece of carrot from the table with her chopsticks and stuck it in Beru's open mouth.

"MAMA!" Beru shouted. He leapt onto his chair, slamming his palms against the table. Suzu snorted, causing Beru to redirect his anger. "It's not funny!"

Beru turned to his father, hoping he would have an ally against his indignity. Kakashi only offered him a slow blink.

"Eat your carrots," his father said, tugging down his mask to take a sip of tea. Beru deflated and fell back into his seat. He shot nasty looks at his mother as she continued to regard him with a sweet smile.

"Oh!" Yuiko said. "That's right. You two still haven't told us what you want for your birthday. It's coming up in two weeks, and you'll need to let me know now if you want to have a party so you have time to invite your friends."

Beru, who had been rolling a piece of carrot between his fingers, went still. Suzu's eyes drifted toward her brother as she regarded him with a stern expression. Beru turned to meet her gaze. Suzu nodded, and Beru looked back at Yuiko.

"We don't want a party," he said firmly. Yuiko kept her genial expression, watching him expectedly.

"We want to go on a mission with you and Papa," Beru continued. His face hardened as he recalled the recent transgression. "You can't pick on me, though."

Yuiko's eyes drifted over to Kakashi. Her husband slowly put down his bowl of rice, gingerly placing his chopsticks to the side. He adjusted his mask before leveling his children with a steady expression.

"You know that I –"

"Please!" Beru said, leaning forward in his seat. "You said you'd go on a mission with us when we were older!"

"Well, yes," Kakashi said, his brow drooping. "But I was thinking a little older than now."

"It's been _forever_ since vacation!" Beru whined, tilting his head dramatically. "You said you had fun on vacation!"

"I did have fun," Kakashi said. "But you know I can't take time off like that very often."

Suzu nudged Beru with her elbow. They leaned toward each other, and Suzu covered her mouth as she whispered into Beru's ear. Kakashi's eyelids drooped. He had been able to hear every word, despite her best efforts.

"Mama," Beru said, switching tactics, "tell Papa to go on a mission with us."

"Papa," Yuiko said, her eyes glittering as she regarded Kakashi.

"Don't call me that," Kakashi said flatly.

"Papa, will you go on a mission with us?" Yuiko asked, ignoring his previous statement.

"No."

Yuiko turned back to Beru with a smile. "Well, I tried."

"That's not funny, Mama!" Beru shouted. Yuiko's smile fell away. She nervously wrung her hands in her lap as she watched Beru push himself away from the table. He leapt down from his chair, running past them and into the hallway.

"May I be excused?" Suzu asked, watching Yuiko with a stiff expression. Yuiko nodded, and her daughter hopped down from her chair. She walked past them without a second glance, disappearing around the corner. The adults kept their attention on the hallway until a soft click indicated that the door to Beru and Suzu's room had closed.

The pair sat in silence. Kakashi stared across the room as Yuiko kept her eyes fixed on the table. After a moment Yuiko let out a sigh, getting to her feet as she started to collect the dishes. Kakashi joined her, and the two of them worked to put away leftovers before Yuiko piled the dishes into the sink and turned on the water. Yuiko cleaned the dishes, and Kakashi stood at her side as he ran them over with a towel before placing them in the drying rack.

"Does he usually say things like that when I'm not home?" Kakashi asked. Yuiko shrugged.

"Sometimes," she said. "This is the first time he's gotten angry about it. You see them almost every day, so I never thought they would get so worked up about you being busy."

"It sounds like it isn't just me," Kakashi said, regarding Yuiko from the corner of his eye. "Maybe it's because you're taking more missions."

Yuiko sighed. "Maybe. I may have been getting ahead of myself, thinking it would be easier now that they're older. That shrine Sasuke wanted me to see took a lot longer to get to than we'd planned."

Sasuke's teleportation jutsu was useful, but was still limited by the massive amount of chakra it required. Sasuke never acted like it was a problem, but it certainly slowed their work down the few times he'd used it traveling to their destination. Out of all the emotions the Uchiha was skilled at masking, self-frustration wasn't one of them. The energy consumption was a setback that he would likely be able to mitigate after more training with the technique, but currently Yuiko insisted that he only use it at the end of a mission. The suggestion had been met with an insulted look, but since then Sasuke had pulled back on using the technique over long distances more than once every few weeks.

"I remember that mission," Kakashi said. "They were worried about you."

Yuiko's eyes dropped in guilt. "Do you think I should just stick with the Barrier Team? Sasuke is getting better at reading the old symbols; he can probably analyze most of the ruins he comes across without my help."

"Sakura would kill me," Kakashi said, drying the last bowl. "If it weren't for you, Sasuke's job would be far more time-consuming. My brooding student may be a genius, but those old symbols aren't easy to decipher."

Yuiko leaned against the counter as she watched Kakashi stack the last bowl. "He has that book I put together them, though. And he reads quickly."

"True," Kakashi said, "but I think it's good for him, not being out there all by himself. I didn't fight for his good name against the better judgement of the other nations just for him to become a pariah."

Kakashi leaned against the counter, drumming his fingers against the side. He watched Yuiko for a moment in thought.

"I'll figure something out," he said. "I'll talk to Shikamaru and see what I can do."

Yuiko nodded. "They'll come around," she said, a weak smile tugging at her lips. "I'm sure they'll want to stop by later when they're feeling up to it."

"Ah," Kakashi said. He pushed himself from the counter to stand before Yuiko. Initiating hugs was a habit that rarely showed itself, but Yuiko found the way he would stand before her with an expectant look just as endearing.

"One thing at a time," Yuiko said, squeezing him tightly around the middle. Kakashi's declaration of agreement was cut short as the air was squeezed from his lungs. He returned her embrace before disappearing in a flicker.


	141. Chapter 141

"Kakashi."

"I know, I know," Kakashi said, waving his hand. He glanced momentarily away from the computer screen to take in his assistant's displeased expression.

Shikamaru was looking more like his father every day; he had even grown out his beard in a similar fashion. Shikaku Nara had been a legendary administrator in his time, so it was only natural that Shikamaru would emulate the man.

Shikamaru watched Kakashi thoughtfully from across the office. Something suddenly flashed behind his eyes. He turned away slightly as he put his hand to his chin. "I should probably increase Yuiko's guard detail," he mumbled.

Kakashi chuckled, sitting up straighter as he placed his hands on the desk. "I don't think Yuiko would take the kids outside the village without letting me know."

Shikamaru's mouth stretched into a thin line. He closed his eyes with a huff. "Yeah, sure," he said, "whatever you say."

Kakashi watched Shikamaru with a puzzled expression as his assistant shook his head. Shikamaru met his gaze, and the hardness behind his eyes softened. "This is for their birthday, you said?"

"Ah," Kakashi confirmed with a nod. "Apparently it's all they want."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Really," Kakashi said, his lids drooping. Shikamaru closed his eyes with a sigh.

"I like to think that Naruto is going to make my job easier when he takes your place," Shikamaru said, rubbing the back of his head. "But I have a feeling I'm not going to be so lucky."

"I realize this is a bit short notice," Kakashi said, bashfully scratching the side of his face. "And I haven't made any promises. If you could dig up a D-Rank mission or something of that nature that we could do together in an afternoon, I think that would suffice."

Shikamaru nodded thoughtfully. The corner of his mouth turned up in a smile as he turned to leave the office. He raised his hand to give a casual wave.

"Leave it to me."

–

Yuiko leaned over the dining room table, her eyes widening as she read the briefing. She gazed up at Kakashi in disbelief.

" _Shikamaru_ gave this to you?" she asked. Kakashi's eyes turned up in a smile. Yuiko returned her attention to the paper; her husband had only been gone for a few hours before returning with a mission scroll in hand. Beru and Suzu had already left for school, and Yuiko had been mulling over how to let them down gently over their request. Kakashi conjuring an actual mission so soon was the last thing she had expected.

"He's really OK with you being gone for four days?" she said, unable to keep the surprise from her voice.

"Ah," Kakashi said with a nod. "He told me that we're his friends, and he helps his friends."

Yuiko raised an eyebrow. Kakashi's brows drooped.

"Really," he said flatly.

Yuiko straightened, putting her hands on her hips with a smile. "Shikamaru's getting soft."

"Maybe," Kakashi chuckled. He pulled out a chair, sitting down at the table. "He said he wants Naruto to do a test run while I'm out, so there _is_ an ulterior motive."

"I see," Yuiko said mockingly. "So he's really just trying to push you out of the position sooner."

"Perhaps," Kakashi said, returning her smile. He reached out, tapping his finger against the paper. "Do you think this will do?"

"They'll be thrilled," Yuiko said, scanning over the objectives. "It looks like it's still within the training grounds just outside the walls; security shouldn't be an issue."

"I'll be increasing the patrols, just in case," Kakashi said, leaning his head into his hand. "I'll also throw a couple of extra Anbu in there to be safe. It's probably overkill, but it will put me at ease."

"At least the Anbu who came with us to the beach got to swim," Yuiko said. "These poor guys will just have to camp out like any other mission."

"I've been a pretty boring Hokage, by their account," Kakashi said, leaning back in his chair. "They haven't had to save me from serious peril even once. I feel a little bad for them."

Yuiko laughed behind her hand. "Poor things," she said. She continued reading the paper, and the smile fell away from her face. She leaned forward, staring intently.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked. Yuiko didn't answer right away, and his eyes narrowed in concern.

"This looks familiar," Yuiko said slowly. She lifted her eyes to meet his. "We've done this before."

"Have we?" Kakashi asked. He spun the paper around to face him. He studied the mission report with an impassive expression.

"Interesting," Kakashi said. "It's not exactly the same, but it's similar, isn't it?"

Yuiko nodded, a conflicted look on her face. Kakashi smiled. "I suppose it's a coincidence," he said. Yuiko looked up, hitting him with a suspicious look.

"I'm starting to get tired of no one believing me today," Kakashi said wearily. Yuiko's expression shifted into a wry smile.

Kakashi returned the smile. He rose to his feet as he worked to roll up the scroll. "We're already familiar with the territory, in that case. We should be able to meet our objectives even if we travel slowly. I'm sure Beru and Suzu could handle running, but it will be nice to take our time."

Yuiko nodded thoughtfully. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised to see it again. This is a mission that probably pops up at least once a year."

"Twice, actually," Kakashi said. He made his way to the door, motioning for Yuiko to follow. "Let's confirm the mission with Shikamaru and work out the details. I think we can get everything hammered out before the pea pods get home."

.

* * *

.

Yuiko and Kakashi walked side-by-side down the road, the buildings of Konoha's market district thinning out as they approached the great stone faces. The earth beneath their feet was still tightly packed from a passing rain, although the clouds had since parted to wash them in warmth. The Hokage tower jutted up into the sky, and Yuiko craned her neck to admire the red spire as they walked through the gates.

"This was faster than I expected," Kakashi said, turning toward the staircase as they entered the building. He nodded in greeting at a few of the shinobi passing by.

"How long does it usually take to get it set up?" Yuiko asked, matching his gait as they climbed the stairs.

"More than a week," Kakashi said. The pair reached the second landing and they stepped quickly down the hallway. "I have a feeling a few strings were pulled."

They reached their destination, regarding the door to the Hokage's office. Kakashi reached out and rapped his knuckles against the wood.

"Enter."

Kakashi opened the door. Sunlight was streaming through the windows, shimmering against the far wall; Kakashi swore he could see heat rising from the floor. With the numerous stacks of paper lying about, the room seemed likely to burst into flames at any moment.

"It's boiling in here," Kakashi stated, closing the door behind Yuiko as she stepped inside. The Hokage only smiled as he regarded them with sparkling blue eyes.

"I'm glad you could come so quickly," Minato said. He set aside the stack of papers he had in hand and rose from his seat. He stepped over to the window and pushed it open, his hair ruffled by a slight breeze. "I wanted to get this in before my next council meeting."

Minato returned to his desk and began to leaf through a stack of folders. He pulled one out and flipped it open to review its contents. "How's Noboru feeling?" he asked, scanning the paper.

"Better than before," Kakashi said, crossing his arms. "The antidote kicks in pretty quickly, but the side effects leave him weak. He should be fit for duty again in a week or so, according to the nurse."

"That's good to hear," Minato said, closing the folder. Kakashi watched his former sensei with an incredulous expression, knowing full well that the Hokage was likely aware of Noboru's status.

"I found another team member for you two in the meantime," Minato said, handing Kakashi the folder. "They're more than happy to tag along to help Yuiko get another C-Rank mission under her belt."

"Thanks," Kakashi said, flipping open the folder. "Noboru is ahead of her by a few, since I've let him go on other missions with teams that needed a medical nin. This will even the score a little to help them take the Chūnin Exams together."

Kakashi's eye narrowed as he studied the paper. "This doesn't have information on our other teammate."

"They're already waiting for you at the gate, actually," Minato said pleasantly. "That's why I asked you two to arrive with your gear."

"It's not Guy, is it?" Kakashi asked warily. Guy was a good friend, but for a simple mission like this his exuberance would be a bit overwhelming.

"No, it isn't Guy," Minato said, a twinkle in his eye. Kakashi raised a brow, but dropped his attention back to the paper. He finished reading the objectives and handed the folder to Yuiko for her to review.

"Will our teammate have the sealing paper we need?" Kakashi asked. Minato nodded.

"They'll have the sealing paper, plus extra field gear," Minato said pleasantly. Kakashi's eye narrowed as he tried to dissect the information hiding behind the innocent expression.

"The mission is to seal equipment that was left behind in the old bunkers. Will that be all?" Yuiko asked, raising her head. Minato's gaze shifted to bathe Yuiko in his sunny expression.

"That's right," he said. "We used to keep squads in those bunkers to act as backup when our patrols spotted intruders. Most of them haven't been manned since the end of the war, though. All you'll be doing is traveling between a few of them and collecting any equipment that can still be of use, along with checking the structural integrity of the bunkers themselves. This isn't time-sensitive, so your team has up to a week to visit all the sites marked in your report."

"It shouldn't take anywhere near that long," Kakashi said. "Should be a day or two, at most."

"Depending on your pace," Minato said. Kakashi caught something behind his eye again, and he watched the Hokage with suspicion.

"Well, I'd better be off," Minato said. He circled around the desk to stand before the pair. Kakashi fought back a sigh as Minato reached out and ruffled their hair.

"Stay safe," Minato chirped.

 _It's only a C-Rank,_ Kakashi thought. _One that's still inside the patrol, at that._

"We will," Yuiko replied earnestly. Minato beamed, and Yuiko returned the gesture with an intense expression. She looked back at Minato with such steadfast determination that one would think he had entrusted her with his life. Her interest in such a mundane mission burned with a passionate flame that only a genin could possess. Kakashi watched her for a moment, studying the glow touching her cheeks. Yuiko dropped her eyes as Minato stepped past them, and Kakashi averted his gaze.

"Let's get going," he said, quickly turning to follow Minato out of the room. Yuiko was soon on his heels, and Kakashi kept a brisk pace as they exited the Hokage tower and made their way down the main road.

Kakashi wasn't in a hurry by any means, but the fast pace made it easy for him to keep Yuiko a step or two behind him. He needed to calm his thoughts, and he found the task to be a lot easier when he couldn't see her. The fluttering feeling that would occasionally rise up in his gut at seemingly random intervals when she was around was becoming disheartening; it was almost always followed by a wave of dread that would bring him back to reality. But what worried him the most were the few times that the warm feeling would linger, enticing him to cling to it for comfort. He couldn't help but picture a fly being lured into a carnivorous plant, thinking it was safe, only to be dissolved at a painfully slow pace.

"Kakashi-Sensei?"

Kakashi turned his head slightly to regard Yuiko. She watched him with a stern expression.

"Hmm?"

"Why are we walking so fast?" she asked. Kakashi internally cursed himself, realizing that he was making it obvious that something was off.

"I don't want to get another lecture from Minato-Sensei about being late," he said mildly. They were practically at the gate anyway, so he slowed to a familiar amble. Yuiko seemed to find no reason to doubt his statement, her features relaxing as she matched his stride.

Groups of people stood around the gate, conversing idly as they waited for one thing or another. Inside Konoha's main entrance was a common meeting place, and shinobi milled about the clusters of food carts and street merchants vying for their attention. A line of merchants chatted among themselves as they waited for their products to be inspected prior to gaining clearance for entry.

Kakashi came to a stop and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he looked about. All they could do now was loiter around the gate and hope that their teammate spotted them before too long. Yuiko's attention was already fixated on a large cart of apples that had been parked in the shade of a nearby building.

"Do you think the market will still have apples when we come back?" she asked.

Kakashi shrugged. "Probably."

Yuiko nodded forcefully. "I'll get apples when I come back!" She turned her head to regard Kakashi. "Not just for me, though," she said bashfully.

Kakashi scanned the crowd with a bored expression. "Do you think you can afford it?"

Yuiko's cheeks turned pink. She dropped her gaze to her feet.

"You know you'd have more money if you didn't buy a new copy of every book you want to read, right?" Kakashi asked, regarding her from the corner of his eye. "The library only charges you for a book if you get it damaged."

Yuiko nervously wrung her hands. "But then I don't get to look at the covers as much," she mumbled.

Kakashi's eyelid drooped. "That's a stupid reason to spend so much money."

"Some of the covers have pictures that continue from volume to volume!" Yuiko suddenly shouted, raising her head. Kakashi frowned from the unexpected reaction.

"You can't see them all together if you only have one at a time!" Yuiko continued, balling her hands into fists. "And some of them have limited-edition foil inserts that look really cool!"

Yuiko stared at Kakashi with an expression that wavered between steadfast resolve and queasy humiliation. She was clearly mortified from her unanticipated outburst, and Kakashi was torn between pity and wanting to laugh at the look on her face. As he studied her, a word describing her appearance floated to the surface from his subconscious.

"You're just too cute when you get all worked up!" a voice called.

 _Cute._

A flush rose up Kakashi's cheeks. His eye quickly snapped away from Yuiko. Yuiko turned about, her eyes alight from the sound of the familiar voice.

A figure pushed through the crowd with little regard for their surroundings. A nearby pair of chatting shinobi were forcefully shoved aside, and Yuiko's feet were immediately swept off the ground. Crimson hair flew about like a banner as her new companion twirled her in circles.

"Did ya miss me?" Kushina asked, plopping Yuiko down. She grinned from ear to ear. "I bet ya did!"

Yuiko smiled, nodding. Kushina laughed, pulling her into another hug. "I just have that effect on people, ya know?"

Kushina released Yuiko, turning to beam at Kakashi. She refrained from pulling him into an embrace, but couldn't hold back from giving him a playful poke in the side. Kakashi fought the urge to wince from Kushina's lack of restraint.

"Minato-Sensei's behavior makes more sense now," Kakashi said, rubbing the sore spot on his rib. "There was no reason for him to be that secretive about who we're teaming up with."

"I'm glad he was able to pull it off!" Kushina said, her mouth stretching into a playful grin. "I wanted it to be a surprise! It's been awhile since I've been back, ya know?"

"I do know," Kakashi replied flatly. "I'm surprised you're taking another mission so soon."

Kushina waved away his concern. It looked like she'd had enough time to shower and change since returning to Konoha, her gear being in the same pristine condition as her companions'. Her appearance and cheerful demeanor countered everything one would expect from someone who'd spent the last month trudging through the bogs of southern Fire country. But for anyone who knew Kushina Uzumaki, this was far from extraordinary.

"Minato said you two were in a pinch this morning, so of course I wanted to help," Kushina said, putting her hands on her hips. "And the two of us hardly ever get to spend time catching up, yeah?"

Kushina smiled at Kakashi expectantly. His sensei's wife had always come off as a little childish, but the fact that Kakashi was as tall as her now only exaggerated the effect. He shrugged. "I suppose," he said.

"Alright!" Kushina exclaimed, her ponytail whipping about as she turned toward the great archway. "Let's head out!"


	142. Chapter 142

"Are we ready to head out?" Kakashi asked.

"Ah!" Beru shouted, bouncing on his heels. Suzu turned away, walking down the road.

"Suzu!" Yuiko called, picking up her gear pack. She placed her hand against the front door of their home, and a seal flashed in green light beneath her fingers before fading into the wood. Yuiko made her way through the lawn before coming to a stop next to Kakashi in the road. "We're going the other way, peanut."

Suzu stopped and turned to face Yuiko with a dubious expression. "The training grounds are this way," she said, pointing down the road.

"The one we normally go to, yes," Yuiko said. "But we're going through different ones today."

Suzu watched Yuiko for a moment, calculating. She then nodded, tightening her grip on her gear pack as she walked back toward the house. She passed them by without a second glance as she made her way down the road.

"It's this way!" she shouted, pointing ahead.

"Yeah!" Beru exclaimed, jogging after her. Kakashi and Yuiko watched with bemused expressions before ambling after them.

They had considered picking up field outfits for Beru and Suzu, but decided against it. Even civilian clothing in Konoha was generally durable, so they'd picked out outfits for their children based on what they already owned. Suzu wore lilac-purple shorts matched with a white shirt and cream-colored jacket. Yuiko had warned her that it might get dirty, but Suzu seemed confident that wouldn't happen.

Beru's outfit was a little more practical, with black shorts, a blue shirt, and a grey jacket, but he wore his green scarf around his middle like a belt. The scarf had been Kakashi's since his childhood, and most of it had miraculously survived the destruction of Konoha during Pain's attack. After his children were born, Kakashi had it repaired and gifted it to Beru on his fourth birthday. His son wore it all year 'round – around his neck during the colder months, and his middle as it grew warmer. It was spring now, so it tended to alternate between positions depending on the time of day. When in belt form the scarf had a tendency to drag in the dirt, which had recently been causing it to fray along the edges.

"You're going to take a left over the bridge!" Yuiko called out. Beru and Suzu were a few yards ahead now, the river to their left and rows of houses to their right. Suzu took the lead, ignoring every form of greeting as she strode onward. Beru, on the other hand, paused to exchange pleasantries with anyone who looked his way. Beru loved to talk to people, and as a result was on a first-name basis with almost every person who crossed his path. Kakashi was the Hokage, and even _he_ didn't recognize all the people his son did. On more than one occasion Kakashi had been forced to politely excuse his son from various conversations in order to avoid falling too far behind Suzu.

The crowds thinned out significantly as they approached the training grounds. Rows of houses were replaced by trees, and Kakashi let out a relieved sigh. Despite Suzu's tenacious pace, getting to the training grounds had seemed unbearably slow. To be fair, the walking speed of a six-year-old was nowhere near the traveling speed he was accustomed to; if he had known how long it would take to navigate the crowded streets, he might have encouraged faster means of transportation.

"It's almost late afternoon," Kakashi mumbled.

"Oh?" Yuiko said, regarding him from the corner of her eye. "Worried we're going to be late?"

Kakashi opened his mouth before quickly snapping it shut. Yuiko smirked.

 _What have I become?_ Kakashi thought mournfully.

–

The Hatake family made camp just inside the village wall. Yuiko would phase them through it in the morning, and from there they would continue on through the training grounds. They would have time to inspect the first bunker that day, and possibly even the second, depending on their pace. All they needed to do was examine the structure, piping, and generator of each bunker and take note of anything in disrepair. The bunkers had proved to be very helpful in the aftermath of Pain's attack when it came to housing the sick and injured. While Kakashi was optimistic that an attack on that level was unlikely to happen again, it was still important to make sure the bunkers were habitable, just in case.

Kakashi had been pleasantly surprised by how adept his children were at making camp after they picked a site. He was aware that it was a skill taught at the academy, and that Yuiko had taken the time to help them practice, but seeing it in action was a whole different matter.

Yuiko supervised Suzu as she set up the tent, while Kakashi collected the firewood that Beru pointed out. After returning with their materials, he helped Beru set up the campfire, and Kakashi's chest filled with pride when Beru utilized a spark of lightning jutsu to ignite the tinder.

Dinner didn't take long to prepare since the family shared a meal using ingredients from a storage seal. As they ate, Yuiko promised to show Beru and Suzu how to forage the next day. The children seemed excited, although Kakashi was certain that foraging wasn't going to live up to their expectations. Yuiko was skilled at it, but the results were rarely as tasty as one would hope.

As the sky shifted from a dusty pink to a deep blue, Yuiko whipped out the science fiction novel she had been reading to Beru and Suzu over the past few weeks. The story followed the adventures of two brothers who were dead-set on traveling to the Moon. Since the transportation seal connecting the Earth and Moon had been destroyed, more conventional means were necessary in order to make the trip. They had reached the chapter where the brothers were working together on the chakra-powered train that would blast them into space. The older brother, Mutta, was losing hope that they would ever reach their dream, while the younger brother, Hibito, had to use his unbridled energy to cheer him on.

"But they're almost done!" Beru exclaimed. "Mutta's crying over nothing!"

"Maybe from our perspective," Yuiko said with a nod. "But you have to also think about how Mutta sees the situation."

Suzu nodded. "If they fail, they'll explode," she added passively.

Beru balked. "I don't wanna keep hearing this story if Hibito is just gonna explode!"

"They won't explode," Yuiko said warmly. She ran her thumb over the remaining pages of the book, noting how many were left. "… probably."

Kakashi regarded his family warmly before rising from his seat. He made brief eye contact with Yuiko before turning and walking into the forest. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Kakashi idly made his way through the underbrush. He listened to the soothing sound of Yuiko's voice before the dull thuds of his own footsteps drowned her words out. It was unlikely that the Anbu wouldn't catch someone sneaking nearby, but he still put in effort to make some noise in order to not get accidentally caught up in a nighttime training exercise.

After a few minutes of walking, the trees began to thin and soon Kakashi found himself gazing up at the massive wall surrounding the village. His eyes drifted down to a lone object sitting at its base. Kakashi walked up to it and reached out to touch the cold surface.

The blue memorial stone had been relocated a few times at this point, as training grounds continued to be repurposed into needed housing and other facilities. After a while, Kakashi had concluded that placing it close to the wall would be the best option to give it a permanent home.

"It's been a while," Kakashi said, returning his hand to his pocket. He gazed down at the stone with a fond expression.

"Where did I leave off last time? It's been so long I can't remember," Kakashi said. He chuckled, his eyes turning up as he smiled. "I sound like an old man."

Kakashi slowly opened his eyes. He regarded the polished stone as the pale moonlight reflected off its surface.

"Beru reminds me of you, Obito," he said softly. "He's so full of energy, and he always wants to help. Unfortunately for me, he's smart." Kakashi smiled. "He knows that his help isn't the best that can be offered, so he volunteers me instead. I might be the most popular Hokage that ever took office, considering how often I help people catch their trains and watch storefronts while the owner runs to an appointment."

Kakashi tilted his head to the side. "Suzu is more like me, from what people say. However, her attention has the tendency to wander, which is more like her mother." Kakashi turned his head to gaze into the forest behind him. Suzu didn't bother trying to conceal herself as she stood at the edge of the clearing. Kakashi raised his hand, motioning for her to approach.

Suzu casually approached the stone. She stopped beside Kakashi, regarding it curiously.

"Did you tell your mother you were coming here?" Kakashi asked. Suzu nodded. The reaction was quick enough from him to know that she was telling the truth.

"Do you remember seeing the memorial stone before?" Kakashi said, his gaze drifting ahead. Suzu took a step forward and squatted before the stone, running her hand over the names etched in its surface. She shook her head.

"You were pretty small," Kakashi said. "I wanted to show you and your brother to Obito and Rin."

Suzu straightened, looking up at Kakashi. She raised her hand to place it on her chest. "They're here, right?"

"Ah," Kakashi said, patting his chest. "They live right here; I'm glad you remember."

Suzu nodded and looked back to the stone. She shivered, and Kakashi frowned.

"Where's your jacket?" he asked.

"Mama bought me a new jacket a few weeks ago," Suzu said. Kakashi's eyelids drooped.

"You know that's not what I was asking," he said flatly. Suzu shifted uncomfortably.

"It already has some dirt on it," she said. "I didn't want it to get more."

Kakashi sighed. He removed his headband and placed it atop the memorial stone. He reached up to yank his top facemask over his head and shook out his hair from the resulting static. Bending down, he pulled the mask over Suzu's hair and placed it around her neck. Suzu fussed slightly as she pulled her braid outside the mask; it was far too large for her, but it still provided some warmth as it hung around her neck like a loose scarf.

Kakashi grabbed his headband, tying it back around his forehead before scooping Suzu up in his arms. He hugged her against his chest as he made his way outside the clearing.

"I can walk," Suzu protested weakly. The fact that she'd huddled to him for warmth diminished her declaration to actually do so.

"I think it's about time for you to go to sleep," Kakashi said. That was apparently the wrong thing to say, since Suzu now adamantly fought to be put down.

"I'm on first shift!" she declared. Kakashi smirked.

"I'll wake you for second shift," he lied. This seemed to calm Suzu down as her kicking ceased. He altered his route toward a wide gap between the trees and flipped Suzu upside-down, holding her by the ankles.

"Papa!" Suzu yelled, laughing.

"It's time to ring the bedtime bell," Kakashi said mildly. He swung Suzu back and forth, the tip of her braid brushing the forest floor with every swing.

"Ding, dong, ding, dong."

Suzu giggled, burying her face in the mask to muffle her laughter. Kakashi swung her back and forth a few more times before flipping her back up against his chest. They finished the journey in silence; Suzu's eyes were finally staying closed as the glow from the dying campfire and another voice heralded his return.

"… ding, dong, ding."

Kakashi stepped into the clearing. Beru hung upside-down, his hands around his mouth to stifle his laughter as Yuiko swung him back and forth.

"Papa!" Beru exclaimed, flinging his hands away in delight. Kakashi put a finger over his lips. Beru's eyes drifted to his sister's sleeping form. "She's supposed to be first watch!" he said, fighting to keep his volume down.

"I'll take first watch tonight," Kakashi said, stepping around the fire as he approached the tent. "We'll wake you for your shifts later."

"OK!" Beru shouted. Yuiko flipped him upright and grappled him into a tight hug.

"Sleep tight," Yuiko said. She placed him down, and Beru jogged after Kakashi into the tent.

"Goodnight, Mama!" Beru said, hitting Yuiko with a toothy grin before closing the tent flap. Yuiko watched the tent with a warm expression as Kakashi and Beru whispered their goodnights. Kakashi exited the tent just as Yuiko turned away to douse the fire.

Kakashi lifted his arm above his head and flashed through a series of hand signs. A number of chakra signatures pulsed around the perimeter of their camp.

"There's practically an army out here," Yuiko said, looking at Kakashi with an incredulous expression.

"They're first through eleventh watch in pairs, respectively," Kakashi said, gazing about. "The two of us will take the last watch, which should be sometime around 10 AM."

Yuiko rolled her eyes. She pulled a scroll open on the dirt and proceeded to stack cookware atop the paper. Kakashi helped her gather everything up before the dinnerware disappeared in a plume of smoke. As Yuiko started to rise, Kakashi cupped the back of her head and lightly butted her forehead against his. Yuiko's eyes turned up in a smile, and she brought her hand to his cheek for a moment before the two of them pulled apart.

Yuiko opened up the flap to their tent and disappeared inside. Kakashi followed after her, sitting down to remove his shoes as Yuiko positioned herself on her side in the gap between Beru and Suzu. Suzu unconsciously backed up against Yuiko's stomach for warmth, while Beru quite semi-consciously flopped over her shoulder. It was an awkward arrangement, but Kakashi and Yuiko had stopped trying to figure out Beru's odd sleeping positions long ago.

Kakashi circled around behind Yuiko, laying down with his head resting on her side. It reminded him of sleeping in a pile of his Ninken, and he quickly succumbed to the wave of comfort rolling over his body. Even after everything he had achieved, Kakashi considered being able to sleep while touching another person one of his greatest accomplishments. He had fought hard to gain the ability, and its reward was something more precious than he ever could have imagined. Kakashi had no trouble drifting off to sleep, even as Beru rolled over to plant an arm across his face.

 _I hope that you can see them from where you are. You would be proud, I think. Obito … Rin._


	143. Chapter 143

"For me?"

"Ah!" Beru shouted, pushing the flowers in Yuiko's face. She leaned back as the orange lilies slapped against her cheeks.

"Thank you, they're beautiful!" Yuiko said, collecting the flowers into her arms. Suzu nudged her brother aside, offering Yuiko another handful of the lilies.

"You both are very sweet," Yuiko said, smiling down at the pair.

"Mine were harder to get," Suzu said. "I ran to the other side of the stream to get them."

"Which you weren't supposed to do, by the way," Kakashi said, appearing from behind a tree. "I don't want you walking on running water without someone watching you."

Suzu's only response was a slow blink before turning away.

 _Ah, there's her resemblance to me,_ Kakashi thought with a sigh.

"Are we still going northwest, Mama?" Beru asked. He had hastily wiped his hands along the front of his shorts before fishing a compass from his pocket. He cupped the object delicately between his hands as if it were a baby bird.

"That's right," Yuiko said with a nod. "Find our setting and lead the way; I'll have you switch off with your sister in a little bit."

"OK!" Beru exclaimed, his silver hair bobbing as he brought his face up to the compass. He shifted about for a few seconds before going still.

"This way!" he shouted, snapping his head up. Beru quickly walked around a tall tree and into the underbrush. Suzu fell into step behind him, and Yuiko took a moment to admire the flowers in her hands.

"They stole my thunder."

Yuiko turned to regard Kakashi. He offered her the single lily, its fiery orange petals bobbing gently. Yuiko smiled as she took it from his grasp.

"You know," she said, "our children are thoughtful, but not _that_ thoughtful." Her smile turned coy. "I think they got the idea to give me these from somewhere."

Kakashi shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets as he ambled after his children. His voice immediately echoed out through the trees.

"Beru, don't crawl through that."

The smile on Yuiko's face widened as Beru countered that he was just doing what the compass told him to. Yuiko did her best not to crush the lilies as she hugged them to her chest before following after them.

.

* * *

.

"It's so pretty."

Yuiko looked over the field of flowers, her eyes wide. Kushina smiled warmly.

"I like to detour to this area whenever I have the chance," she said, putting a hand on her hip as she admired the view. "Minato showed it to me; it was springtime back then, too."

The field of tiger lilies stretched into the distance, broken only by a stream running through, and stopping at a line of trees on the horizon. The orange flowers swayed gently in the crisp spring air.

Kushina glanced to regard her other teammate. Kakashi didn't seem very interested in the flowers, which was expected, although his gaze seemed to be fixed on Yuiko. Kushina frowned, but in the blink of an eye his attention had moved elsewhere. Kushina watched him with a puzzled expression, wondering if she had mistaken where he had been looking.

"We should get going," Kakashi said. Kushina blinked, bringing herself back to reality.

"Sounds good!" she chirped. She turned on her heel and made her way back under the tree cover. "The first bunker is pretty close; we'll check it out and make camp nearby."

Kakashi nodded. He fell in line after Kushina and took a few steps before looking back over his shoulder. Yuiko slowly turned away from the lilies, and Kakashi faced forward as Yuiko jogged up to meet them.

 _—_

"Does that stream really have fish?" Kushina asked, her eyes wide. "I never caught anything when I tried."

Kakashi shrugged. He picked up the bucket that Kushina had produced from a sealing scroll and turned to exit the campsite.

"Oh!" Kushina said. "Could you bring back a small lily for me? I wanna try doing that thing where you turn it into a bookmark!"

"Ah," Kakashi said. He leapt up into the trees and out of sight. Kushina returned to building the fire. Yuiko had been chopping up some daikon for their stew, but the rhythmic sound of her knife against wood stopped as she stared at Kushina.

"Yes?" Kushina said, smiling coyly. Yuiko still had some trouble initiating conversation, which was a little annoying, but easy enough to deal with as long as Kushina gave her a clear opening.

"Are you reading anything now?" Yuiko asked, her eyes alight.

The corner of Kushina's mouth twitched. She wasn't a huge fan of literature; the act of sitting down to read only succeeded in making her drowsy and giving her unpleasant flashbacks of being at the academy. She had once tried bonding with Yuiko by reading one of the romance novels she'd suggested, but it only made matters worse when Kushina couldn't hold herself back from laughing at every cheesy line and ridiculous scenario. Yuiko would grow defensive over her favorite stories, and Kushina quietly dropped the matter before making the girl genuinely upset.

"I'm writing, actually," Kushina said, an embarrassed flush touching her cheeks. She dropped her gaze and returned to tending the fire.

"Writing?" Yuiko asked. "Like field reports?"

"N-no," Kushina said, growing flustered. "It's something Mikoto said I should try. But it's not important!" She paused, and then whipped her head up with a grin. "What's goin' on with you? How has the last month been?"

Kushina steered the conversation to more casual topics. She finished getting the fire going as they chatted about Yuiko's last mission and Minato's cooking. Once the fire was burning steadily, Yuiko set up a small pot above the flames. Kushina's brows shot up as Yuiko unrolled a scroll directly over the pot. Yuiko unsealed its contents, and a gallon of beef broth gushed forth with far more force than Yuiko had anticipated.

The pair stared at the sputtering fire and the brown liquid now dripping from their clothes.

"BAHAHAHA!"

Yuiko's cheeks turned a deep crimson as Kushina doubled over in laughter. Yuiko meekly admitted that she hadn't wanted to use one of the pots Kushina had at home to store the soup, so she had simply sealed the liquid directly into the scroll. She had to repeat that statement a few times, since Kushina had a hard time making it all out over her own laughter.

Kushina was eventually able to get a hold of herself and she produced a few spare towels and tossed one to Yuiko. The two of them were in the middle of cleaning themselves off when Kakashi returned. He regarded them with a raised brow as he set down the bucket, but didn't comment on their appearance or the globs of fragrant mud surrounding the fire.

"I got what you asked for," Kakashi said, reaching behind him. He pulled an object from his belt, producing a small lily. Kushina beamed as he handed it to her.

"I already removed the anther so it won't make a mess," he said. Kushina thanked him as she set her towel aside and pulled a small green notebook from her side pouch. Yuiko's hand paused midway to wiping a streak of soup from her hair as she hovered over Kushina's shoulder. She watched Kushina open up the back cover, positioning the flower inside.

"Here."

Yuiko raised her eyes to Kakashi. He gazed at her with a bored expression as he held another small lily.

"I figured you would want one for your book," he said. Yuiko's expression brightened.

"How thoughtful," Kushina said, raising her eyes. "I'm sure she –"

Kushina froze. Yuiko had reached out to grab the lily, and her hand brushed Kakashi's. His eye had widened marginally, and he was watching her with an expression Kushina had never seen him make before. Despite the mask, Kushina had known Kakashi long enough to be able to read beneath the surface.

 _What … WHAT?!_

"I NEED THE LADIES ROOM!" Kushina shouted, jumping back. Yuiko and Kakashi watched her with stunned expressions as she leapt into the forest. Kushina flew over the branches in a blur, her mind racing.

 _That couldn't have been … but it looked like … WHAT?!_

After a short sprint Kushina felt that she was far enough away. She slapped her hands over her cheeks and let out a high-pitched squeal.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!" she shouted. Kushina clasped her hands over her chest, her violet eyes sparkling.

 _That was just like one of Yuiko's stupid books! The way their hands touched … and how he was looking at her … Dammit, that was just so cute!_

Kushina shook her head, a grin growing on her face.

 _I never thought I'd see the day when that a glum kid would make a face like that! Oh, this is too good._

Kushina placed a hand on her chest, taking a deep breath to calm herself down.

"OK, facts. What are the facts?" Her face scrunched up in concentration.

 _Kakashi has seemed happier lately … but that could just be due to his new team in general. Yuiko is a sweetheart, and Noboru is a funny kid, so they would cheer just about anyone up. But that back there was different — I don't think I've seen him do something thoughtful like that before. He's not a bad kid or anything, he just doesn't do things like that for people. Not that I've ever seen, anyway._

Kushina put her hands on her hips as she tilted her head up to the sky. "But that look," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I've seen that look before."

Minato's face flashed before her eyes, and guilt churned in Kushina's stomach. She sighed, pushing the mental image away.

"OK," she said. Kushina pulled the green notebook from her side pouch. She fished around for a pen and flipped through her notebook before landing on a blank page. She began to write, nodding slightly as her eyes danced over the paper.

 _—_

"Are you alright?" Yuiko asked. She rose to her feet, nervously wringing her hands as Kushina entered the clearing. Kakashi was sitting on the other side of the fire, tending to a few skewers of roasted fish.

"Just a bit of an upset stomach. No big deal!" Kushina said, waving away Yuiko's concern. Yuiko watched Kushina with a worried expression as the older woman strode past. Kushina snatched the ladle off a short pile of dinnerware and promptly plunged it into the soup. She lifted the ladle and took a sip of the broth.

This was a mistake.

The liquid was nearly at a boil, and Kushina let out strained gurgle as the soup seared the interior of her mouth. Kakashi and Yuiko watched with wide-eyed expressions as Kushina lowered the ladle from her scorched lips with a grin.

"Mmm!" Kushina exclaimed, a slight waiver to her voice. "This is delicious!"

Kushina turned her head to face Kakashi. "Yuiko's an excellent cook, don't ya think?"

Kakashi didn't answer right away. He teetered between asking if Kushina was injured and answering her question, before ultimately deciding to do the latter. "I guess she has been getting better," he said slowly. "Her cooking was terrible bef–"

"She's GREAT!" Kushina shouted. She straightened, hitting Yuiko with a beaming smile. "How about I brush your hair out while Kakashi finishes up, huh?"

Yuiko seemed unsure of how to answer that question. Kushina had started brushing Yuiko's hair on the nights she was home, which Yuiko had found a bit uncomfortable the first few times. After a while, though, Yuiko's unease had faded, and she found herself able to enjoy the sensation and the time she got to talk with Kushina — or, more accurately, the time Kushina would talk at her about various village gossip.

"We're out in the field, though," Yuiko said. "It's OK; you don't have to."

"Nonsense!" Kushina said, tossing the ladle back in to the soup. Kakashi's eye narrowed as broth splashed onto his jacket.

"Just sit down right there and I'll get my brush!" Kushina said. She circled around the fire to her gear pack, rummaging through it. By the time she had found the bright blue brush, Yuiko had dutifully sat at the spot Kushina had indicated. Kushina positioned herself behind Yuiko and hummed a simple tune as she removed the band keeping Yuiko's bun in place.

"Oh! Your hair is getting long!" Kushina exclaimed. Yuiko nodded, blushing slightly. Her hair had been around shoulder length when she'd first come to Konoha, and it now reached down just past her shoulder blades.

"You should wear it down more often; you have such pretty hair," Kushina said. She held a portion of Yuiko's hair in one hand while running the brush through it with the other. Kushina regarded Kakashi with a sly smile. "Yuiko does have pretty hair, don't ya think?"

"Hmm?"

Kakashi was busy ladling soup into bowls. He regarded Yuiko for a moment with a tired expression before looking back at Kushina. "I wouldn't know," he said.

"Oh, come on!" Kushina exclaimed. Yuiko winced slightly as Kushina tugged on her hair. "It's so unique! _I've_ certainly never seen anything like it before! Isn't that worth writing a flowery poem about or something?!"

Kakashi regarded Kushina perplexedly. His eye drifted to Yuiko, who gave him a confused shrug.

"I … guess?" Kakashi said, unsure what would placate Kushina. The woman's face transformed into a pleased grin.

"Of course _you_ would say that," she said snidely. Kakashi's expression hardened.

"What does that mean?" he asked.

Kushina shrugged, but the smug expression remained. Kakashi eyed her warily as he finished passing out the bowls of soup and fish skewers. Kushina took a break from brushing Yuiko's hair to eat, seeming perfectly at ease, but Yuiko and Kakashi ate in tense silence as they tried to determine what had come over their teammate. After dinner, Kakashi insisted that he be the one to wash the dishes at the stream; he had been itching to exit the situation, and he jumped at the first opportunity that presented itself. After he left, Kushina sat near Yuiko again and began to twist her hair into a braid.

"So," Kushina said slowly. "It's been a while since we've had a chance to have a little girl talk, ya know?"

"Um," Yuiko said, uncertain of what 'girl talk' entailed. "I … OK."

"Let's cut to the chase," Kushina said, leaning her head over Yuiko's shoulder, a sly smile growing on her face. "Are there any _boys_ that you like, Yuiko?"

Yuiko frowned in thought for a moment before nodding. Kushina's grin grew wider.

"Oh ho? And who would that be?" she asked.

"Um," Yuiko said, turning slightly to regard Kushina. "I think I like Minato the best."

"BACK OFF!" Kushina shouted, pushing Yuiko face-first into the dirt.

Kushina was a skilled kunoichi capable of masking many emotions. Over the past few months she had even been able to handle her most volatile nature — her temper. But Yuiko had unintentionally stumbled across one of the few things that would cause Kushina's restraint to go up in flames.

Yuiko scrambled into a sitting position as she regarded Kushina towering over her. Kushina's eyes burned like red coals, her hair floating about in large tendrils. Her haggard breathing caused her shoulders to rise and fall as she menacingly leaned toward Yuiko, Killing Intent rolling off her body in heavy waves.

Kushina's anger immediately snuffed out from the terrified look on Yuiko's face.

"You didn't mean it that way, did you?" Kushina asked, her shoulders slumping. She mentally scolded herself, guilt churning in her gut as Yuiko looked back at her with a timid expression. She knelt down, dusting Yuiko off.

"W-what way?" Yuiko said, watching Kushina nervously. Kushina's heart panged, and she reached out to pull Yuiko into a hug.

"Forget it," she said softly, stroking Yuiko's hair. "I'm sorry about that; I don't know what got into me."

"Um, it's alright," Yuiko said, the tension leaving her shoulders. "I'm sorry if I said something to make you mad. I didn't mean to."

"No, no, it's fine!" Kushina said. It was her own fault for forgetting that Yuiko wasn't like how she was at fourteen. Kushina had already been in love with Minato at that point, and knew very well what the difference was between the love she felt for her friends and romantic love. Yuiko may have been well-versed in those romance books, but they were a poor indicator for how most real relationships played out. The poor thing was probably blind to any sort of signals save for a straight-up love confession.

"Don't apologize to me if I do anything like that," Kushina said. She pulled away to look Yuiko in the eyes with a stern expression. "I need people to call me out when I fly off the handle. And lately I've been …"

Kushina broke their gaze, pursing her lips. Yuiko nervously wrung her hands in her lap as the light behind Kushina's eyes dimmed.

"I care a lot about you, ya know?" Kushina whispered, more trying to convince herself than to placate Yuiko.

Yuiko's expression brightened. "Would you like to do more 'girl talk?'" she asked.

Kushina quickly looked back at Yuiko. She pushed down the guilt as she plastered a sheepish smile on her face.

"I, uh," Kushina said, nervously scratching the side of her face. "What I _meant_ when I asked you if you liked any boys was if you knew anyone who you'd want as a boyfriend."

Yuiko's cheeks burned a deep pink. She ducked her head to hide her mortified expression from Kushina.

"I … I promise that I really don't like Minato t-that way …"

"Of course you don't!" Kushina said, laughing nervously. "Let's just … forget all about that."

Yuiko nodded in agreement. She didn't say anything further, and Kushina decided to let it rest there. She had traumatized the poor girl enough for one day.


	144. Chapter 144

"Can we go look at the bunker again?"

"What did we come here to do?" Kakashi asked.

"Train," Beru said firmly.

"That's right."

"So can we go see the bunker again?" Beru asked.

Kakashi's eyelids drooped. "No."

Beru frowned, but dropped the matter. He fell in next to his sister as she did her warm-up stretches.

"We'll keep it light today," Kakashi said, crossing his arms. "You mother doesn't want you to do the one-handed rock-climbing exercise."

"Because I have common sense!" Yuiko piped up from the other end of the clearing. Kakashi smirked, watching Beru and Suzu as they finished warming up.

"Alright, shadow clones first," Kakashi said. Beru and Suzu dutifully ran through the hand signs before clouds of smoke appeared behind them. Two perfect replicas of each of his children stood behind their originals. Beru and Suzu had inherited their mother's large chakra reserve, and Kakashi felt that teaching them shadow clones early on would be a good way to utilize that talent.

Kakashi reached out, flicking his finger across the noses of the four clones. A few of them whined in protest as they rubbed their faces.

"Good, they can at least take minimal damage," he said. "Have them come at me, and create another two when these ones disappear."

Kakashi stayed mainly on defense, only attacking with a swift kick or chop when the clones left blatant openings. Kakashi was pleased to find that this took him much longer than he had been expecting — Beru and Suzu's teamwork had improved tremendously; their clones actively tried to block and deflect Kakashi's strikes when he tried to attack a blind spot in another clone's defense. A few months ago his children had only used each other as distractions during sparing instead of actively working together. Like a previous team of children he had trained, he recognized that it was likely in an attempt to stand out. Even after the sparring session had ended with both children getting in impressive blows, Kakashi had only regarded them coolly before turning around and exiting the training ground.

' _You two need to figure out what it means to live up to your namesake.'_

He was sure that it took some more explanation from Yuiko, but his point had clearly gotten across. Just like a group of three genin coming together to become one, Beru and Suzu had figured out that they were better off relying on each other. He smiled pleasantly as the last of their clones disappeared in plumes of smoke.

"Now then," Kakashi said, putting his hands on his hips, "Beru, I want you to create a mud wall. And Suzu, you'll break through it using your new lightning technique. You have to break the entire thing down for it to count."

Beru grinned, leaping back. He ran through the signs for the mud wall before slamming his hands on the grass. A four-foot wall rose from the ground, the brick-like structure accented with the sculpted heads of three bulldog puppies.

Suzu approached the wall, her eyes narrowing in concentration. She raised her right arm and purple sparks of electricity danced from the tips of her fingers up to her elbow. She let out a shout, striking the wall in a flash of light. The wall now had a large hole where the bulldog heads had been. Beru's shocked face could be seen on the other side.

"Cool!" he shouted, his face breaking into a smile.

"Keep going; you need to do the whole thing," Kakashi said. Suzu nodded curtly, pulling back her hand for another strike.

Suzu turned the wall into rubble with two more strikes. Kakashi had Beru make another, and she repeated the process until she had knocked down ten walls total. Kakashi had her take a short break while he had Beru deplete more of his chakra reserve by making as many mud walls as he could in rapid succession. Beru eagerly took the challenge — he successfully created seven more four-foot-tall walls before their structural integrity began to diminish.

"The two of you rest up for a bit. You'll be sparring next," Kakashi said. Beru hit him with a weary grin before sauntering over to join his sister in the shade. Suzu already seemed to have recovered a fair amount of energy, and Beru wouldn't be far behind.

 _Those Uzumaki genes are something else,_ Kakashi thought. He used his own form of earth-style jutsu to retract Beru's walls into the ground as he made his way toward the other end of the clearing. Yuiko sat with her back against a large tree and smiled warmly on his approach.

"Enjoying the break?" Kakashi asked. Yuiko moved over so he could join her leaning against the tree.

"A little," Yuiko said. "I'm sure they're having fun — it's been a few weeks since you last had time to instruct them."

"Over two months," Kakashi said. "They've already improved so much; it's sort of scary."

Yuiko laughed. "You trained Naruto. I thought you'd be used to seeing rapid improvement."

"You would think that," Kakashi said with a nod. "I'm still pleasantly surprised, though."

Kakashi sighed, looking up at the green leaves swaying overhead. "Things are starting to change so quickly; I don't know if I can keep up."

"One thing at a time," Yuiko said, patting his arm. Kakashi nodded. He closed his eyes for a few moments, taking in the sound of rustling leaves. He allowed his mind to wander, eventually focusing in on the smell of damp grass. Cutting out all distractions and simply focusing on one sensation had become his go-to during the times everything around him started closing in. The world of the Hokage felt small to him, oddly enough, and the parameter of that area seemed to shrink every day. It wouldn't be long before he would step outside the boundary.

 _For some reason, I imagine that world will only grow to be far vaster in his hands,_ Kakashi thought, picturing a bright set of blue eyes accented by a toothy grin.

Kakashi opened his eyes after some time and his attention drifted back to his children. The pair were chatting about sparring with one of their friends from the academy, from what he could hear.

"I was a chūnin at their age," Kakashi said. His gaze softened. "They're so different from how I used to be. I feel like there's an entire chunk of my life where I missed out on being a child."

"I feel the same way," Yuiko said. "I figure we can make up for that after you retire."

Kakashi regarded her from the corner of his eye. "You could tell?"

"You get a wrinkle," Yuiko said, putting her finger between her brows, "right here when you think about retiring."

"I'm a poor shinobi, having such an obvious tell," Kakashi said, looking ahead. Yuiko chuckled.

"Playing with them helps," Yuiko said, looking back to her children. "It makes me feel a little more carefree, anyway."

Kakashi nodded. "Hopefully I can make time to do so before they leave the academy."

Yuiko slouched forward, leaning her chin into her hand. "I'm sure they could make genin now, but I'd rather have them enjoy themselves while they can. I know they're certainly much happier than I was at their age."

"I was insufferable," Kakashi said with a chuckle. "I looked down on anyone who I didn't feel was at my level. Others may have admired my talent, but there was a reason I spent a lot of my time alone."

Kakashi smiled as Beru and Suzu got into a playful argument over whether the shinobi in the communications office were allowed to eat the falcon eggs or not. Suzu appeared to be winning with the logic that the falcon mothers would get angry and stop delivering messages.

"They're much kinder than I used to be, too," Kakashi said. "In the world we're building for them, that's going to mean a lot more than being a heartless shinobi."

"I hope so," Yuiko agreed.

Kakashi peered at Yuiko from the corner of his eye. "Do you think we made a mistake? Sending them to the academy, I mean."

Yuiko didn't answer right away. She frowned in thought, before slowly shaking her head.

"It's not the same as when we went," Yuiko said. She turned her head to meet Kakashi's gaze. "And there would have been a stir if the Hokage didn't send his children to the academy, too."

"I've never been the type to be bothered about what others had to say about me," Kakashi replied. His lids drooped. "I suppose my reputation stretches farther than just myself, though."

Despite the ongoing peace, Konoha's main export was still shinobi who were utilized to serve the people of the Land of Fire. Like the other hidden villages, Konoha existed in place of a standing army that was required to protect the country's citizens and provide aid for any number of jobs. The Hokage abstaining from sending his children to the ninja academy could be seen as him publicly undermining the importance of shinobi. There was already enough worry that there wasn't going to be enough work going around in the coming years that Kakashi had to deal with; sending his children to a civilian school would have only added fuel to the fire.

"I suppose I didn't even think about it," Kakashi said. "Enrolling them into the academy seemed natural. It may sound foolish, but I never dwelled long on what it meant. I think I was in denial that the two of them would ever have to face a life even remotely like the ones we had. And when I think about that …"

Kakashi trailed off, gazing back at his children. He deflated, his shoulders slumping as his eyes grew downcast. "Imagining them going through that kind of suffering is like a kunai to the gut. I don't think I could live with myself if they had to deal with even a fraction of that pain."

Yuiko gently bumped her shoulder against his. "Nothing good will come of obsessing about things that haven't happened yet," she said. "All we can do is make sure they're living their lives now without that suffering, and do our best to keep it that way. And if either of them don't want to continue as shinobi after graduation, we need to make sure they know that's OK."

Kakashi regarded Yuiko in surprise. "Have they said anything like that?"

Yuiko looked up in thought. "Not specifically, but I've let them know there are other things they can be. Beru likes to cook with me, and he watches the chefs like a hawk when we go out to eat. Suzu likes to study the pictures in the architecture books Yamato gave them. She can identify different varieties of wood, and even asked me the other day how plumbing works. I'm obviously not an expert, but when they ask me what being a chef or an architect is like, I do my best to explain and let them know that they could do that too, if they wanted."

Kakashi's features softened. "It would be good for my heart if they decided to take on a less dangerous occupation."

Yuiko smiled, "Same — but they're both excelling at the academy, so we'll see. Minato told me once that the last thing he wanted was for me to feel like I was stuck on a path that had already been carved out. He said life is much more enjoyable when you find your own way."

Kakashi nodded, his eyes turning up in a smile. "Ah, I like the sound of that."

Kakashi gave Yuiko's shoulder a squeeze as he rose from his seat. He put his hands in his pockets and ambled across the clearing. Beru and Suzu were quick to get to their feet and stand before him expectedly. Kakashi had them take their stances, then watched from a short distance as they sparred. The pair were close in skill when it came to taijutsu, but after a few blows Beru was able to gain the upper hand with a leg-sweep that left Suzu vulnerable. Suzu made a sour face, but was quick to accept Beru's hand when he helped her up.

A smile grew on Yuiko's face as she watched them make the unity sign before returning to their stances. Beru was having fun, while Suzu's eyes burned with a determination that reminded Yuiko of a certain spandex-clad shinobi. There would be a time where the tone behind these matches would grow darker, and the two of them would be aware that their skill may someday be the determining factor between life and death. They were probably already aware of it on some level, but they could tell that time was still far away. In the present, Yuiko would work to keep that time as far away as she could. And for the future, Kakashi would mold the world around them to keep that time from ever coming to pass.

* * *

A/N: Lightning on a Cloudless Night has been added to the 'The Journeys of an Self insert and OC' community. Thank you to whoever added it, and I'm happy that you like the story enough to do so! ^_^


	145. Chapter 145

Kushina froze as an unfamiliar sound cut through the forest. She was certain that the muffled shout came from the campsite; her figure slipped through the shadows as quietly as possible. Kushina's heart was racing, and her subconscious was screaming at her to throw herself in front of whatever danger Yuiko and Kakashi had found themselves in, but years of training kept her movements steady. Losing her head at a moment like this wouldn't do anyone any good.

She cursed herself for letting her guard down. Their group was traveling well within the patrol area, so she had let herself relax while taking first watch for the night. She had still been alert, but apparently not on guard enough to catch whatever made it into camp while she wasn't looking.

Kushina dropped from the branches, pressing herself up against a large tree trunk as she stared into the clearing. No one appeared to be there but Yuiko and Kakashi, but the latter was shaking violently in his bedroll. Kushina swiftly stepped forward, worried that he may have fallen victim to some sort of covert attack or poisoning. She may also fall into it, whatever it was, but she could no longer suppress the urge to jump in and help.

Kakashi suddenly sat up with a gasp. His ragged breathing was interrupted by sputtering coughs as if he had been drowning. He brought his shaking hands to his face and covered his eyes. Kushina came to a stop, watching Kakashi with concern as she slowly put together what was happening.

"Kakashi?"

Kakashi's head snapped around to look at her. He watched her with a wide-eyed expression before scrambling out of his bedroll and stalking toward the forest.

"H-hey!" Kushina said, raising her arm. "Where are you going?!"

Kakashi didn't answer. He walked into the tree line and melted into the shadows. Kushina took a step forward, but paused as she heard a rustling sound to her right. She turned her head to look back at Yuiko, who now sat upright in her bedroll.

"He'll come back soon," Yuiko said, watching her. "He does that sometimes."

Yuiko's eyes left Kushina's and her gaze landed on the spot Kakashi had disappeared. She bunched the material of her bedroll in her fists. "I don't know why, though."

Kushina watched her sadly. She turned her head to look back out into the forest, her heart sinking.

 _I wish I didn't._

—

Kakashi avoided eye contact with Kushina all morning. While they were inspecting the fourth bunker on their list, he went out of his way to make sure he was working in a different room than she was at all times. There seemed to be an issue with getting the water to run, and Kakashi concluded that there was probably a clog in the piping. Kushina made note of it, which was all they needed to do, but Kakashi insisted on using his earth-style jutsu to follow the pipe and locate the problem area. Kushina agreed reluctantly. She had a hard time figuring out how to handle people who chose to bury their issues instead of talking them out. But she was, ironically, going through something of that nature herself, so she couldn't judge him too harshly.

Kushina busied herself folding bed sheets in the canteen while Yuiko fished canned goods out of the cabinets in the connecting kitchen. The food had long since expired, but the cans could still be brought back to Konoha for recycling. The steady glow of the field lamp they brought along aided them in their work, their shadows dancing about the unadorned cement walls. The canteen was eerily devoid of the sounds of life Kushina was accustomed to in the forest due to the bunker being located a few feet underground. She found the atmosphere creepy, despite not feeling the same toward their previous stops. The sole difference appeared to be the change in their spirits.

Although she was nowhere near as solemn as their teammate, the spark that had shone behind Yuiko's eyes the previous day had died out. Worry over both of them churned in Kushina's stomach.

"How often does it happen?" Kushina asked. Yuiko raised her head, looking at her in confusion.

"How often does Kakashi wake up like that?" Kushina clarified. Yuiko frowned and dipped her head.

"I'm not sure," she said. The look in her eyes suddenly shifted. She appeared to gaze into nothing, and Kushina waited patiently until Yuiko came back to herself.

"Kokuō says it used to happen more often — around one or two times every overnight mission," Yuiko said. "It's been happening less, though. Kokuō says this was the first one we've seen in the last two months."

Kushina nodded. She pushed down the urge to tear the sheet in her hands right down the middle as she fought back a wave of frustration.

 _Why didn't Minato tell me about this?!_

"Kushina?"

Kushina raised her head. Her heart sunk as she took in Yuiko's worried expression.

"Is Kakashi-Sensei going to be OK?" Yuiko asked.

 _I don't know._

Kushina slowly lowered the sheet in her hands to the table. She stared at the faded pattern of red maple leaves between her fingers.

"You know what happened to Kakashi's old teammates, right?" she asked. Kushina didn't need to lift her head to know Yuiko was nodding.

"I bet you've also heard people call him 'friend-killer Kakashi,'" Kushina said softly. She lifted her eyes to meet Yuiko's. The livid expression on Yuiko's face clearly confirmed that she had heard the rumors. It would be hard not to, being on Kakashi's team.

"Obito died saving Kakashi's life," Kushina continued, keeping her voice steady. "Rin's death was a little more … complicated. She had to sacrifice herself to protect the village, and unfortunately she needed Kakashi's help to do so."

Yuiko stared at Kushina in disbelief. She knew from the rumors that Rin had died while on a mission with Kakashi, but this was the first time she was hearing the real reason behind it. She felt guilty, since she had assumed that Kakashi had killed his former teammate to prevent an information leak like the rumors suggested. However, she never believed that Kakashi hadn't been haunted by the decision.

She felt even worse now as she recalled the times Noboru's friends had reminded them of Kakashi's reputation while Yuiko did nothing but stare at her feet instead of coming to his defense. Noboru at least would dismiss their statements with a laugh and a light-hearted remark about them being able to take care of themselves. Neither of them had stood up for Kakashi, though, partially because they believed that he really had chosen to kill Rin for the good of the village. He deserved no blame for it, but knowing that the two of them now stood in Rin's place was still a little frightening. Learning now that Kakashi's resolve was much different than previously imagined made her feel terrible for ever being afraid of her teammate.

Kushina took a deep breath. "I'm sure there's a reason Kakashi hasn't mentioned it," she continued, "but I don't want you to be misinformed. Both Obito and Rin died to protect him by their own will. None of it was his fault, but …" Kushina's shoulders slumped. "But I don't think he views it that way."

Silence hung heavy over the room. Kushina watched Yuiko, who stared at the dusty countertop. A weak smile grew over Kushina's face.

"Be there for him," she said. Yuiko raised her eyes in surprise.

"Kakashi has lost some of his precious people, but it will help him to keep going if the ones he has now support him." Kushina lifted her hand, placing it firmly on her chest. "Part of being a family is always being there for one another. Always."

Yuiko mimicked Kushina, raising her hand to pat her chest. Kushina smiled warmly.

—

"Kakashi-Sensei?"

"Ah," Kakashi said. It had taken some time, but Yuiko eventually found her teammate a few yards north of the bunker. Kakashi had his back to her, and his hands were firmly planted on the ground between two large oak trees.

"We can tell Kushina to mark this spot on the map," Kakashi said, not bothering to look up. "It seems like a tree root has grown through the pipe, blocking the water flow."

Kakashi waited for a confirmation that didn't come. He regarded Yuiko out of the corner of his eye. She was watching him with a nervous expression, bunching the material of her pants at her side. Kakashi sighed.

"Let's head back," he said, wiping his hands on his pants as he stood. He walked past Yuiko, keeping his eye forward.

"I'm … I'm not going," Yuiko said softly. Kakashi paused, turning back to Yuiko with a raised brow.

"Did something happen?" he asked. Yuiko didn't meet his gaze, staring at her feet. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"I'm not going anywhere. I've already seen most places, so I don't need to go," Yuiko said softly. Kakashi's expression shifted to concern.

"Yuiko, what's wrong?" he asked. "Is Kushina alright?"

Yuiko nodded. She closed her eyes, taking a shuddering breath. Her head suddenly snapped up and she met Kakashi's gaze with unexpected intensity.

"YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME!" Yuiko shouted. Kakashi's shoulders stiffened. He regarded her as if she had gone insane.

"W-what?" he muttered.

"IF I GO ANYWHERE, I'LL ALWAYS COME BACK!" Yuiko continued, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"KONOHA IS MY HOME, AND IT WOULDN'T BE HOME WITHOUT YOU THERE! SO NO MATTER WHAT, I'LL COME BACK AND YOU WON'T BE ALONE!"

The pair stood in stunned silence. Yuiko took deep breaths, staring down Kakashi as she heaved. Kakashi opened his mouth slightly before swiftly shutting it. He closed his eye for a moment, shook his head, and then stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked away. Yuiko frowned, her shoulders slumping.

"Come on," Kakashi said. "I'm stuck with you, right? I can't go back alone."

Yuiko's expression brightened. She wiped her face with the back of her sleeve as she trotted after him.


	146. Chapter 146

The pulse of chakra made Kakashi pause. Yuiko stopped beside him to follow his gaze into the trees. They stood motionless for a moment; the only things that changed were the increasingly puzzled expressions that grew on their faces.

"Papa?"

Kakashi's gaze left the branches to look down at Beru. His son watched him with an expectant look, and Kakashi's eyes turned up in a smile.

"It's nothing," Kakashi said, ruffling Beru's hair. "Let's keep going. You two don't need to –"

Kakashi glanced up to see that Suzu had continued down the trail, unconcerned. She eventually came to a stop, looking back at them with a tired expression.

"… worry," Kakashi finished flatly. This placated Beru, who turned to jog after his sister. Kakashi followed after them with a sigh. He glanced over to Yuiko, who seemed just as unconcerned as Suzu. "Are you as lost as I am on what that meant?" he asked.

Yuiko shrugged. The hand signals that the Anbu member had given them were indeed a little odd.

"I don't think I've seen that combination before," Yuiko said, meeting his gaze. "But I know it isn't _bad._ "

"I'm sure it's going to cause me trouble one way or another," Kakashi said, his brow drooping.

' _Ally … Message … Distraction.'_

—

Kakashi felt a presence quickly approaching as his family stepped into a large clearing speckled with dried pine needles. They had been traveling through dense forest, and he had a hunch that their visitor had been waiting for an opportune moment to make themselves known. He came to a stop at the edge of the clearing and folded his arms.

"This had better be good," he stated. Yuiko didn't answer, but her eyes shined in anticipation as she watched the tree line.

 _At least someone's excited,_ Kakashi thought.

A shrill laugh rang through the forest. The sound echoed among the trees, causing Beru and Suzu to turn in circles as they tried to locate the source.

"It seems that I've finally caught you, Lord Hokage! You will gasp in awe at my beauty, and tremble in fear upon facing your greatest opponent yet!"

A figured emerged from the shadows, walking confidently into the clearing. The woman let out another high-pitched laugh and tossed her curly blue hair over her shoulder.

Kakashi's lids drooped. He turned his head to regard Yuiko.

"Did you do this?" he asked. Yuiko's eyes glittered as she joyfully regarded the newcomer. She clasped her hands above her chest and quickly shook her head.

 _She only gets that look from surprises,_ Kakashi thought. _I hate surprises._

Kakashi shifted his tired gaze back to the woman.

"I am the dread pirate queen, Manami!" The woman shouted, the golden bangles around her wrist jingling as she swung her arm dramatically. Her outfit consisted of a tight red crop-top that laced up the front, and a tattered, short red skirt matched with a tall pair of black boots. A small tricorn hat was nestled among her curls, and a black eyepatch with a skull and crossbones pattern sat over her left eye. Her delicate features twisted into a smirk.

"I heard a rumor that you're the strongest one in the Land of Fire!" Manami said, pointing at Kakashi. "If I defeat you, then all of Konoha will be mine! And then …"

Manami turned to regard Beru and Suzu. Beru was watching her with a wide-eyed fascination that mirrored Yuiko's expression; Suzu's attention was fixed on a chipmunk that had poked its head out of a cluster of pine needles.

"… and then I'll eat all the children of Konoha up, starting with you two!"

Manami's fingers wiggled about in a menacing fashion. Suzu's attention drifted from the chipmunk to hit her with a flat stare.

"Witches eat children, not pirates," Suzu stated. Manami flinched.

"Well … I'm a pirate witch!" she shouted, her voice wavering. "And unless someone _super strong_ defeats me, then you and all of Konoha are done for!"

"Her," Kakashi said, pointing to Yuiko. "You can fight her."

Manami's eye twitched.

"O-Oh?" Manami said, grasping for composure. "Is the great and powerful Hokage afraid to face someone as terrifying as me? Does he not want to use this as an opportunity to show off his might?"

"Not really," Kakashi said as he turned his back to Manami. He found a suitable spot, then squatted down to brush the pine needles away from the base of a tree. He slid his pack from his shoulders and set it down, put his back to the tree, and nestled himself into a comfortable position.

"Kakashi," Yuiko whispered, her voice stern. Kakashi glanced at her with a passive expression.

"I'm sure they would be just as impressed to watch you fight as me," he said. Yuiko's expression turned sour.

"She came all the way out here!" Yuiko hissed. "Don't be rude!"

"Have the two of you ever watched your mother fight?" Kakashi asked, his eyes drifting to Beru and Suzu.

"Sometimes," Suzu said, glancing at Yuiko.

"You two only see what she's teaching you, though," Kakashi said, the corner of his eyes crinkling. "Aren't you two curious to see what else she knows?"

Beru and Suzu turned to regard Yuiko. Their mother crossed her arms. "Don't use them to wiggle out of this," she said.

"I didn't say I wouldn't fight," Kakashi said, pulling a book from his pack. "I only said watching you fight would be immeasurably more entertaining."

Yuiko scowled. Kakashi opened up his book and began to read with a carefree expression.

"Um …"

The dread witch pirate queen Manami shifted, looking between the pair. "Should I go, or ...?"

"No, fight Mama!" Beru said, balling his hands into fists. "I bet you can beat the witch, Mama! And don't worry cuz if you're weak than Papa can do it!"

Yuiko's cheeks puffed out in a pout. "Hey …"

"F-Fine!" Manami said, balling her hands into fists as she slid into a defensive stance. "Bring it on! We'll put on a battle for the ages!"

Yuiko's expression brightened. "So I should make this flashy?" she asked, her eyes alight with excitement.

Manami's smile fell slightly. "Y-Yeah. Just don't go … overboard, OK?"

Yuiko didn't seem to hear that last statement as she clapped her hands together above her chest. She pulled her hands apart, and a green chakra chain linked her palms as the gap widened.

A loud 'clink' rang through the air as the chain broke loose from Yuiko's right hand. She picked up the slack and starting spinning the chain in a wide circle. With each rotation, the last link the chain grew larger and larger until it resembled a spiked ball that was about the size of her head. Yuiko's smile widened as the chain spun faster.

"This is so unfair," Manami mumbled. She darted forward, pulling a handful of kunai from a pocket and flinging them in Yuiko's direction. Yuiko used the chain to deflect the kunai, sending them flying around the clearing.

"Awesome!" Beru shouted, tilting his head slightly as a kunai whizzed past his ear.

Yuiko flung her arm forward, and the spiked ball crashed into the dirt at Manami's feet. Manami leapt back, grimacing at the crater left behind.

A game of cat-and-mouse ensued, Yuiko staying on Manami's heels as the pirate queen darted about the clearing. A handful of trees collapsed as the spiked ball sent splinters flying in every direction. Beru rocked side-to-side from where he sat as he dodged the debris, a large grin plastered across his face. Suzu and Kakashi were seemingly otherwise preoccupied, but still tilted themselves to and fro to avoid the chunks of wood. As Manami continued to dodge, the forest floor around them was quickly starting to resemble the surface of the Moon.

"Right into my trap!" Manami suddenly shouted, coming to a stop. Yuiko had doubled back to follow the pirate queen, only to find that she was now frozen in place.

"Oh no, ninja wire?!" Yuiko shouted dramatically. The chakra chain disappeared in a burst of green light as Yuiko struggled to free herself.

"Oh hohoho!" Manami cackled, "I don't think there's _any way_ you can free yourself from my especially strong _pirate_ wire, Lady Yuiko!"

"She's right!" Yuiko cried. "Whatever shall I do?!" She turned to look over her shoulder at Kakashi. Her husband pulled a piece of bark out of his hair and flicked it away, his eyes still on the book.

 _Seriously?_ Yuiko thought, her brow drooping.

"I guess I'll just have to finish you off now!" Manami exclaimed. She lifted her eyepatch to reveal another pale blue eye. She smiled and gave Yuiko a wink.

Manami suddenly collapsed, and Yuiko's form went rigid. Yuiko straitened, flicking her wrist to cause the ninja wire wrapped around her right arm to fall away. She pulled a kunai from her belt, quickly cutting away the rest of the wire.

"Was that it?" Beru said, his brow drooping. "That was boring."

Yuiko turned to Beru, a devilish smirk touching her lips. "My apologies, boy. It seems that your mother wasn't as strong as she claimed."

Beru frowned. Suzu was busy stacking nearby pebbles into small piles.

'Yuiko' turned to Kakashi and sauntered across the clearing. She frowned, coming to a stop. Kakashi lifted his eyes, watching with a passive expression as 'Yuiko' ran her hands over her torso. She had a look of intense concentration, her hands now brushing over her backside.

"Wait, seriously?!" she shouted. "How is her body still like this? Yuiko's almost forty!"

Kakashi nodded knowingly. "Uzumaki genes," he said, flashing her a thumbs-up.

'Yuiko' muttered something under her breath before continuing to approach. She stopped before Kakashi and cleared her throat.

"So, yeah … I mean, HOHOHO! I – the great and powerful pirate queen – have taken control of your precious wife! You must fight me in order to valiantly save her!"

'Yuiko' placed one hand on her hip, pointing at Kakashi with the other. Kakashi offered her a slow blink before returning to his book.

"Are you serious?!" 'Yuiko' snapped. She placed her hands on her hips, bending over him with a scowl. "I know you're the Hokage and all, but acting like this when your wife is in danger makes you a real jerk!"

Kakashi sighed, lifting his eyes. "You're already at a disadvantage," he said. "It wouldn't be fair for you to fight three-on-one."

"Huh?" 'Yuiko' said, raising her brow. Suddenly, the world around her went dark. She squeaked, looking about.

"Oh my, a visitor."

The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, but somehow 'Yuiko' knew that its source was behind her. She turned, her face going pale.

"Manami," Kokuō said, bringing its massive head down until its eye was level with the newcomer. Outward appearances fell away within the mindscape, so the reflection that appeared in the beast's pupil was a more familiar, although terrified-looking, Ino Yamanaka.

"I believe that was the name of a character from the latest book you all were reading," Kokuō continued. "Was it not?"

Ino nodded, a shiver running down her spine.

"Very entertaining," Kokuō said. Ino sensed a change in the beast's tone. She imagined it was how a cat would sound if it could talk to a cornered mouse.

"I always love having company over," Kokuō said, its voice growing soft. "Why don't we have some fun?"

—

"This is the worst fight ever," Beru said. He watched Yuiko with an annoyed expression as she stood motionless, staring into space. Suzu's pebble city had expanded with the addition of a library and shopping district. Kakashi chuckled as the main character in his book confessed his feelings to the love interest's twin sister on accident.

Yuiko's head suddenly jerked up. She blinked a few times as the light returned behind her eyes.

"THAT WASN'T FUN AT ALL!" Ino shouted, suddenly sitting up from across the clearing. Her wig was askew, and a few stray pine needles stuck to the side of her face.

"Sorry," Yuiko said, her brow drooping as she turned to regard her. "I was a few chapters ahead in the Sword-Crossed Landlubbers; Kokuō shouldn't have spoiled it for you."

"I can't believe Manami picks that idiot Isamu over Kenji!" Ino exclaimed. "I mean, Isamu is hot, but _come on_ _!_ "

Yuiko smiled sheepishly. Ino rose, brushing the foliage from her skirt.

Kakashi neatly earmarked the page he was reading before snapping the book shut. He placed the book back into his gear pack before getting to his feet and sauntering toward the center of the clearing.

"That was an entertaining display," Kakashi said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I believe that was impressive enough to even promote you to jōnin."

Ino put a hand on her hip, regarding him in disbelief. "I've been a jōnin for years."

"Ah, I see," Kakashi said with a nod. He scratched the side of his face before turning away. "Well, thank you for the visit."

The two women watched him incredulously.

"Don't take another step."

Kakashi's shoulders slumped. He turned to look into the forest as another figure emerged.

"I am Rufi, the king of the pirates, and I challenge you, Lord Hokage, for your title."

A man entered the clearing and stopped before the group, his hands folded over his chest. Ino balked.

"You're not even wearing your costume!" she shouted.

"It was getting warm wearing it over my regular clothes, so I removed it," Sai said simply. All that seemed to be left of Sai's "outfit" was a hastily scribbled mustache and goatee.

"You just look like some stupid 'evil twin' version of yourself without the costume!" Ino whined. This didn't seem to bother Sai, who turned his attention back to Kakashi.

"Spar with me, Lord Hokage, so we can determine who is the strongest among us and gains the privilege of eating your children."

Ino groaned, putting her head in her hand. "This is the last time I ask you to try out theater."

Kakashi snapped his fingers. "I figured it out," he said. "This is Shikamaru punishing me for being away, isn't it?"

Sai smiled, tilting his head to the side. "No, I don't believe Shikamaru is a fan of the arts."

"Kakashi," Yuiko said softly. He met her gaze and studied the pout touching her lips. He lifted his eyes to his children. Beru was watching them with an irritated expression while Suzu used a stick to dig a river through her pebble metropolis.

"Fine," Kakashi said, a defeated tone to his voice. Yuiko cheered, clapping her hands. A wide smile adorned Ino's face as she slapped Sai on the back.

"Go get 'em pirate king!" she said. "And try not to die."

"I'll do my best, but not only because you asked me to," Sai said with a smile. "I've become rather partial to living."

Yuiko and Ino moved to the edge of the clearing as Sai fetched a large scroll leaning against a nearby tree. Kakashi stood with his shoulders slumped and his hands in his pockets as he tracked Sai with his eyes.

"Go Sai-Sensei!" Beru shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Do the one with the lions!"

Kakashi regarded Beru with an irritated expression.

"I do not know this 'Sai' you speak of," Sai said, his eyes turning up in a smile. "But I will do the ink lions all the same."

Sai produced a brush and held it between his fingers as he opened the scroll with a loud snap. His hand flew over the paper, and, as promised, four lion-like ink beasts leapt from the paper. They towered over Kakashi, who watched them with a tired expression.

The lions broke into a run, two of them circling behind Kakashi while the others approached him head-on. Kakashi disappeared from view as the beasts moved in, but in a flash of purple two of the beasts exploded in ink. Kakashi swung his arm around, the purple lighting running up his left arm flashing again as he cut through the remaining two. He turned in time to see another beast leap from Sai's scroll.

The ink dragon was massive, taking up nearly half of the clearing. The beast bared its teeth as it lowered its head to Kakashi's level.

"It's pretty," Suzu said, pausing her work on the stick bridge she was building across her river.

"The pirate king here seems very talented," Kakashi said, sliding his foot back as lightning crackled up his arm. "It's almost too bad I have to disperse it."

Sai tilted his head to the side and smiled.

The dragon opened its mouth, and a gout of flame roared from its throat. Kakashi's eyes widened before his form was enveloped in the fireball. Those watching squinted their eyes, but his figure was still hardly visible within the bright red flames.

The fire came to an abrupt stop. A charred log stood at the center of the smoldering grass, smoke rising from the top. A slight breeze caused the log to collapse into a pile of black ashes.

"Yuiko!" Ino called.

Beru's eyes darted about. His mother suddenly appeared from underground, leaping up before Sai.

"Yeah!" Beru shouted. "Get him M–"

"I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!" Yuiko wailed, flinging her arms around Sai's shoulders. Sai watched her with a curious expression as she cried onto his shoulder.

"You finally merged one of your beasts with a fireball jutsu without it exploding!" Yuiko continued, squeezing him tighter. "You worked so hard!"

"Wait, it used to explode?" Ino said, her voice rising. "And you did it here?!"

Sai ignored Ino, patting Yuiko on the back. "I was only able to obtain such an accomplishment with the help that you gave me, Lady Yuiko."

Yuiko pulled away, shaking her head. "Oh, no! It was all those extra hours you put in. And you paid so much attention to –"

"I'm fine, by the way," a voice called. The pair looked up into the trees across the clearing. Kakashi squatted on a high branch and gave an unenthusiastic wave as their gazes met.

"Oh," Sai said, his eyes turning up in a smile. "Would you like to continue our spar, Lord Hokage?"

Kakashi leapt from the tree and landed nimbly in the grass. He walked into the clearing, rubbing the back of his head.

"I feel obligated, since I was informed that my children would be eaten if I didn't win," he said mildly. Yuiko hit them both with a wide smile before turning away. Her eyes danced over the impressive form of the ink dragon before returning her attention to her destination at the other end of the clearing.

"Your ink jutsu seems to complement the addition of fūinjutsu nicely," Kakashi said. Sai nodded in concurrence. Kakashi lifted his right hand toward his shoulder. He used the other to begin rolling up the sleeve of his black jumpsuit.

"Fūinjutsu is an area that I also have some affinity toward," Kakashi continued. "I can set traps, create a few types of chakra seals, and understand what most seals are meant to do by looking at them. But when it comes to sealing large amounts of chakra or creating a complex blood seal, Yuiko is on an entirely different level of expertise."

As his sleeve was pulled back, rows of black text were revealed running the length of Kakashi's forearm. Sai's expression darkened as he studied the symbols.

"However, I surpass my wife when it comes to utilizing a wide variety of jutsu. Using that as a basis for analysis, we discovered something interesting."

Kakashi placed his thumb below his elbow and dragged it across his skin toward his wrist, the row of text beneath his thumb disappearing in the process. Sai's eyes widened, and his form disappeared in a flicker.

Kakashi leapt up and threw his head back as he sucked in air. He then flung his head forward, and a giant gust of wind jettisoned across the clearing. It cut clean through the ink dragon, the creature remaining still for a moment before bursting into droplets. The wind jutsu flew for over a mile before dissipating; the trees that were unlucky enough to have been in the jutsu's path bore a curved slice in their branches.

Sai stepped back into the clearing, looking over his shoulder as he regarded the damaged treetops.

"I certainly recognize that chakra," he said, his eyes drifting back to Kakashi. "I assume Lady Yuiko has figured out how to seal the chakra she has from the Tailed-Beasts into another person."

"That would be a correct assumption," Kakashi said. Sai watched him thoughtfully.

"Can it also be sealed into scrolls?" Sai asked. Kakashi tilted his head.

"Not at the moment. Yuiko was able to transfer this chakra in a similar fashion to another chakra transfer she gave me during the last war. We've talked about the possibility of her trying it with others, but not many shinobi have enough practice using chakra natures they're unaccustomed to, much less Tailed Beast chakra."

Sai nodded in understanding. "I see. You have experience using many kinds of jutsu from your years as the 'Copy-Nin' for you to fall back on when it comes to learning how to wield Tailed Beast chakra. The fact that you're able to control it at all is remarkable."

"Like you said, I've had practice adapting to different jutsu," Kakashi said. "It's also not all that much. My chakra network still needs to be able to handle the additional surge from when I undo the seal, so as of now each of the nine seals is only a one-time use."

Sai's expression brightened. "If you wouldn't mind, Lord Hokage, I would like to ask you about –"

"Are you guys done?" Beru cut in. Kakashi and Sai looked over to regard the young boy as he fidgeted.

"Oh, right," Kakashi said bashfully. He looked back at Sai, a mischievous glint sparkling behind his eye. "Let's move on to the finale."

Sai smiled as Kakashi leapt back. He flung his scroll around to his front and quickly produced a new pair of beasts. The ink beasts leapt from the paper, taking on the form of gigantic bears. They took off at a run, baring their teeth as they approached their target.

Kakashi ran his thumb over another string of text along his arm. He took a deep breath, pulling down his mask at the last moment as a torrent of black ink gushed from his mouth. The ink raged across the clearing, stopping just short of Sai. Unlike the ink Sai used for his jutsu, this ink had a thick, tar-like consistency. The ink bears jolted to a stop as their paws stuck firmly in the liquid.

Kakashi rushed forward, leaping over the ink and landing on the back of the first bear. He jumped again, landing atop the second bear as he approached Sai. Leaping a final time, he ran his thumb over his forearm midair. Sai lifted his arms in defense as Kakashi struck with his fist, and cried out in surprise as what appeared to be purple stone quickly spread over his body. The substance weighed him down, pinning him on his back as it crawled over him and the surrounding grass. Kakashi perched himself on one of its jagged outcrops as he studied Sai with a neutral expression.

"I do not recall a Tailed Beast that could create stone," Sai said, his face now the only thing visible among the purple rocks.

"It isn't stone," Kakashi said, raising a finger. "It's coral."

Sai raised his brows. "The Three-Tails."

"Ah," Kakashi said with a nod.

"Beru, don't touch that."

Kakashi gazed over at his wife, who had phased her legs through the black ink to stand before Beru. Her son sheepishly withdrew his finger from where it had been hovering less than an inch from the ink.

Kakashi's gaze drifted over to Suzu, who seemed to be dipping small stones into the ink and using it as a substance to hold together a stone wall encompassing her 'village.'

"We thought it would be a nice gesture to give you an excuse to show off for your children," Sai said. He watched Kakashi with a passive expression, seemingly unperturbed by being pinned under the coral. "However, it seems that they do not find you very impressive."

Kakashi exhaled sharply through his nose. He began rolling his sleeve back down as he stepped around Sai's face. The coral stretched past the goo, and he stepped down and started to circle around the perimeter toward his waiting knapsack.

"Can you phase Sai out of that stuff?" Ino asked, leaping from the trees as she landed behind Beru.

"Leave him," Kakashi said. He swung his pack over his shoulders as he ambled out of the clearing. Yuiko sighed, putting her hands on her hips and looking at her children.

"The two of you grab your things and catch up with Papa. Make sure to tell him how great he did," she said.

"Of course Papa was going to win," Suzu said, dusting of her knees. She nodded in satisfaction as she admired the city she had built for the chipmunks.

"Yeah Papa always wins," Beru agreed. "That's why he's the Hokage."

Yuiko smiled. "He'll still be happy if he hears you congratulate him," she said sweetly. She ruffled Beru's hair and gave him a pat on the shoulder as he dashed off to join his sister. Yuiko turned and stepped atop the coral as they disappeared among the trees.

"This was all Naruto's idea, to be totally fair," Ino said, blonde hair cascading over her shoulders as she pulled off her wig. "We were just trying to send you a message about the next date of our book club and he came up with this crazy idea."

Ino sighed, putting a hand on her hip. "I mean, it _did_ sound sort of fun, but Lord Hokage is kind of a stick-in-the-mud — no offense."

Yuiko laughed. She reached down and grasped Sai's shirt. She phased him through the coral, releasing the cloth between her fingers as he stood before her.

"Kakashi's lazy by nature," Yuiko said. "He's not a big fan of exerting himself when he doesn't have to. I'd call him an old man, but he's always been that way outside of training."

Yuiko's smile widened. "You said Naruto sent you?"

"He did," Sai said with a smile. "He believed it would keep Lord Hokage on his toes … and be funny."

Yuiko chuckled. "Is that so? I'm glad to hear he still has some fire left in him under the pressure of looking out for the village."

"Shikamaru didn't seem too pleased when he made the suggestion," Sai said. "I don't believe Naruto will be in a good mood for long."

"Maybe," Yuiko said, her smile growing coy. "But causing mischief in in his blood, after all."


	147. Chapter 147

"I'm such a bird-brain!"

Kushina slapped her forehead. Her companions turned about to regard her curiously.

"I was supposed to drop a status report off at an outpost that was near the last bunker," Kushina said, bashfully rubbing the back of her head. "I can't believe I forgot!"

Kakashi shrugged. "We're pretty far ahead of schedule," he said. "Us going back to the outpost won't be a problem."

"Oh no!" Kushina shouted, waving her hands about. "This is all on me! I'm the one who forgot, ya know? Why don't you two just hang around here until I come back? It is a nice spot, yeah?"

Kakashi's eye drifted over his surroundings. They were atop a large, grassy hill spotted with a variety of wildflowers. The hill sloped down into a large glen surrounded by tall pine trees. The day was unusually warm for the time of year, so hanging out in the field wouldn't be unpleasant. Although…

"I don't recall seeing anything about dropping off status reports in the mission file," Kakashi said, his eye locking on Kushina.

Kushina's smile widened, and she planted her hand firmly on Kakashi's shoulder. "Well I do, so I'm gonna go drop it off. No big deal, yeah?"

Kakashi frowned at the intense look behind her eyes, trying to break down what was really going on.

"You shouldn't go alone," he said slowly. "There's no reason for us all not to go." The grip on Kakashi's shoulder intensified.

"It was my mistake," Kushina said, her voice low, "there's no reason for you two to put in extra work because of me. And it's not like we're in enemy territory or anything, so there's no danger in me going by myself. Don't make me pull my rank as the team leader to order you to relax."

Kakashi's eye narrowed as he stared back at Kushina. But after a moment he relented, breaking their gaze with a weak shrug. "I guess we can get some training in," he said.

"NO TRAINING!" Kushina shouted, causing Kakashi to flinch. Kushina let out a nervous chuckle, withdrawing her hand. "I mean … you two have been working so hard! You should just relax and enjoy each other's company, ya know?"

Both Yuiko and Kakashi regarded her with a look that conveyed that they did not, in fact, know. Kushina laughed again, casually waving her hand.

"Just enjoy some downtime! It's about lunchtime anyway, so why don't you two have a little picnic while I'm gone?"

 _A picnic?_ Kakashi thought, wondering why Kushina was wording it that way.

"I'll be back in an hour or two!" Kushina said, waving to them as she backed away toward the trees. "Don't leave this spot! And no training, OK?"

"O-OK," Yuiko said softly. The pair watched Kushina back into the tree line before turning around and leaping into the branches. They stood there for a few seconds before Kakashi shrugged off his gear pack. He lowered himself to the ground, wriggling his shoulders against the pack until he found a comfortable lounging position. A book appeared from his side pouch, and he opened it up to a neatly ear-marked page before beginning to read.

Yuiko watched Kakashi read for a moment before removing her own pack and lowering herself to the grass beside him. She gazed off into the valley below, pulling out blades of grass between her fingers. They sat that way for seventeen minutes, to Yuiko's count, before she pulled her pack into her lap. She produced two ration bars, a bundle of cured beef wrapped in cloth, and a large can of peaches from a deep pocket. She put her pack aside and grasped a chunk of beef, looking out over the horizon.

Kakashi earmarked his place before snapping the book closed. He pulled down his mask and unwrapped one of the ration bars. The two of them ate in silence, looking out over the valley. Their eyes would track the occasional rabbit or vole that skittered through the grass, or drift upward to watch the scattered clouds float by. Yuiko eventually opened the peaches, lifting a chunk from the syrup between her fingers before offering the can to Kakashi. He took it, but his brow furrowed as he brought it closer to his face.

"Where is this from?" he asked.

"The last bunker," Yuiko said, licking the syrup off her fingers. Kakashi regarded her in disgust.

"This expired years ago," he said. Yuiko shook her head.

"Only about a year ago," she said, motioning for him to hand back the can. "It's still fine."

Kakashi seriously questioned her judgement as he handed back the can. Yuiko finished off the peaches with a carefree expression, and Kakashi only hoped the team wouldn't have to deal with the fallout of Yuiko's food poisoning before returning to Konoha.

Kakashi adjusted his mask and was about to go back to his book when Yuiko spoke.

"I learned something fun the other day," she said.

Kakashi made a dismissive sound as he opened his book. He glanced over to see Yuiko watching him, and his stomach churned. He snapped his eye back to the page.

Yuiko looked away and began to fiddle with her sandal. She rose to her feet, and Kakashi lowered his book to watch her from the corner of his eye. Yuiko stared over the valley with a serious expression before bringing her leg back. She swiftly swung her foot forward, and her sandal flew off, spiraling through the air before landing with a soft 'thud' below. Kakashi stared at the shoe with a confused expression.

"Is that it?" Kakashi asked, glancing at Yuiko. Yuiko nodded solemnly.

"I have to try to get the next one farther," she said, crouching down to loosen the strap on her other sandal. Kakashi's eyelid drooped.

"This doesn't seem like a very fun game," he said. Yuiko stood, squinting as she looked ahead.

"I like it," she said. "It's the only game I can beat Guy in."

Kakashi closed his book, slouching forward. "There's no way you beat Guy in this."

Yuiko's expression brightened as she turned to regard him. "Guy is strong, but he gets so excited over getting the shoe to fly far that he messes up his aim. His kept falling short when they'd hit a building or land in the river."

Kakashi smirked. He rose to his feet, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He took note of the wind direction as he gazed over the valley.

"Are you using chakra?" he asked. Yuiko shook her head. She lunged forward, and with a snap her other shoe soared into the air. The pair tracked it with their eyes as it landed approximately six feet further than its companion. Yuiko gave a satisfied nod before trotting down the side of the hill. Kakashi watched her descent for a few steps before falling in line behind her. He caught up to Yuiko at the base of the hill as she was sliding the shoes back on her feet.

"You're going to toss them up?" Kakashi asked. Yuiko nodded as she wiggled on the second shoe. She paused to watch Kakashi as he bent down to loosen the straps of his own sandals. He straightened, putting his hands on his hips as he gazed up.

"This is stupid," he said flatly. He glanced at Yuiko, who watched him with an expectant smile. The corner of his eye crinkled, and he returned his attention ahead. He lowered his arms and shifted his left foot behind him. In a flash his sandal jettisoned through the air, snapping wildflowers from their stems in its wake. The shoe landed atop the hill, bouncing a few times before coming to a stop. It had ended up a few feet behind their packs, and was certainly further than Yuiko's last effort.

Kakashi turned to Yuiko and smiled smugly, but Yuiko wasn't paying attention — instead, she was staring at the hill as if it had threatened her life. She swung her leg forward with a shout, and the sandal shot over the grass, the blades swaying in its wake. Yuiko gasped as the shoe lost altitude and skidded across the hillside. But the grass was slippery, and the shoe continued to slide until it finally came to a stop about a foot further than Kakashi's. Yuiko cheered, bouncing in a circle as she pumped her arms.

"That was just a warm-up," Kakashi said, his eye narrowing. Yuiko hit him with a self-satisfied smile, putting two fingers up in the "victory" sign. Kakashi snorted. He took a deep breath, bending slightly as he turned away from her. He closed his eye and remained motionless for a few seconds. Suddenly, his eye opened with a snap, and the shoe was already halfway up the hill before Yuiko knew what was happening. The sandal flew over the other two with ease, and it landed practically out of sight at the crest of the hill. Yuiko's mouth opened in shock. She turned to Kakashi, who shrugged innocently.

Yuiko's face hardened in determination. Her eyes returned to the hill, and she glared at it with such an intensity that Kakashi wondered why she never seemed so determined in training. Her hands balled into fists, and Yuiko dramatically swept her leg back. She took a deep breath, and sent the sandal wheeling through the air. Her strategy was to go higher than before, and the two of them craned their necks back as they watched the sandal flip violently against the blinding sunlight. The sandal started to descend, and Yuiko's eyes widened as it sailed further and further.

Something suddenly zoomed from the tree line and snatched the sandal mid-air. The shinobi watched in shock as the golden eagle beat its bronze wings, carrying Yuiko's sandal out of sight. Yuiko and Kakashi stood motionless, staring at the spot where the eagle disappeared among the trees.

"I … I needed that," Yuiko squeaked. She looked at Kakashi as her cheerful expression crumpled. Kakashi met her gaze and stared at her with a wide-eyed expression. And then, for the first time since Yuiko had met him, Kakashi began to laugh. He stooped with his hands on his knees, his shoulders shaking and his breath coming out like a wheeze between his bouts of amusement. His laughter echoed throughout the valley; it sounded almost alien coming from someone who seemed to have forgotten what laughter was supposed to sound like.

Yuiko teetered between her fascination with Kakashi's merriment and the uneasy feeling of losing a necessary piece of field equipment. She settled for glancing between Kakashi and the woods with a queasy smile.

Kakashi ended up having to lower himself into a sitting position in order to catch his breath between fits of laughter. As the seconds ticked by, the novelty of watching Kakashi was starting to wear off, and Yuiko's expression turned sour. Kakashi's amusement had gone on for much longer than she thought necessary before he finally composed himself.

Kakashi pushed himself to his feet and regarded Yuiko with an eye still shining with tears. He seemed to be having trouble keeping himself composed as he regarded Yuiko's expression. He quickly looked away, chuckling as he wiped his face.

"I'll get our things and we'll go after it," he finally said. "The eagle probably dropped your shoe as soon as it realized it wasn't another bird."

Kakashi turned and began to walk up the hill. Yuiko sighed, looking at the forest with a frown. Kakashi glanced back over his shoulder.

 _I guess it was a fun game after all,_ he thought, his eye turning up in a smile.

.

* * *

.

Kakashi looked off into the distance, using his hand to shield his eyes from the mid-day sun. "It looks like I win again," he said mildly.

"Papa, you always win!" Beru whined. He and his sister stood barefoot, the latter staring over the field with a sour expression.

"That's because it's less work for me if I win," Kakashi said. He lowered his hand, motioning toward the other end of the field. "Now go get my shoes."

His children shot him nasty looks, but dutifully turned to run across the field. They scooped up their own sandals along the way, hopping to slide them on as they searched for Kakashi's pair.

"You're lucky I'm not playing," Yuiko said. She had finished planning out their route for the day, and joined Kakashi to watch Beru and Suzu dash about the field.

"Ah, our children don't need to see their mother cry in defeat," Kakashi stated. Yuiko pouted as Kakashi's eyes turned up in a smile.

"Let's get going," he said. Kakashi casually walked away, and Yuiko let out a huff as she followed.


	148. Chapter 148

Beru's eyes grew wide as he gazed at the enormous tree trunk. The trunk was large enough that an entire family could live in it with no trouble if it were hollowed out. Beru made a mental note for his next birthday request as his eyes tracked up the tree.

"She's all the way up there?"

The tree was so tall he couldn't see the top of it even after backing up a dozen feet. Gnarled branches twisted overhead, disappearing into a canopy of deep green.

"Ah, that's where she went before you got up this morning," Kakashi said. He dropped his eyes to regard Beru and Suzu's curious expressions.

"Can we climb up?" Suzu asked. "You said we can't climb tall things unless there's an adult watching."

Kakashi's eyes turned up in a smile. "Well, your mother is an adult, and as long as _I_ don't have to climb, I see no problem."

"Yes!" Beru said, quickly swinging his pack off his shoulders. He hopped on the tree, pooling chakra into his feet as he ran up the trunk. Suzu was quick to follow, and Kakashi watched as their figures disappeared among the leaves.

—

"Found you, Mama!"

Yuiko looked down the trunk, spotting two shocks of silver hair. She adjusted her seat on the thick branch to make room as her children plopped down beside her.

"This tree is so high!" Beru shouted. His eyes grew wide as he regarded the orange glow heralding the sun from behind the distant mountains. Suzu didn't speak, but the awestruck look on her face indicated that she was just as enraptured by the view.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Yuiko said. She smiled softly as she looked out over the endless sea of trees. "Someone very close to me showed me this spot when I was a child."

"Was it Papa?" Suzu asked. Yuiko shook her head.

"No, it wasn't Papa," she said. "He was there, though; he just didn't want to climb the tree. Some things don't change." She laughed. As her laughter faded, she stared off into the distance. The orange glow behind the mountains was growing brighter now, and the melodic call of a wood thrush drifted through the air.

"You two know that Mama will never leave you, right?" Yuiko said. Beru and Suzu tore their eyes from the landscape to look up at Yuiko. A sad smile adorned her face as she continued to gaze ahead. Yuiko brought her hand to her chest, clutching at the material of her flak jacket.

"Mama will never leave you," Yuiko repeated, her voice soft. "Never."

"Mama?" Beru said, a waver to his voice. Yuiko blinked and immediately shifted her expression.

"It's OK," she said, reaching out to ruffle his hair. "I just want you to remember that the people you love will always stay with you."

"I remember," Suzu said. She reached up to pat her chest. "They're right here."

Yuiko beamed. "That's right! They're always there."

Suzu nodded, pleased. Beru still regarded Yuiko with an uneasy expression. Yuiko gave him a poke in the ribs, making him smile.

"Let's head back to Papa," Yuiko said. She pooled chakra in her feet as she stood. She shifted the flow of chakra to swing forward, and she regarded Beru and Suzu with a grin as she hung upside down from the branch.

"Lemme try!" Beru said, leaning over. He gingerly walked over the uneven bark, taking small steps until he stood upside down beside Yuiko. Beru laughed, but his laughter caught in his throat as one of his feet lost its grip. He wobbled, but Yuiko reached out to stabilize him.

"Concentrate," Yuiko said gently. She held Beru's hand, guiding him toward the trunk of the tree. Once they reached it, she reached out her other hand to Suzu. Both of her children's chakra control was excellent, and they certainly didn't need the help as long as they focused. But Suzu still took Yuiko's hand, squeezing it tightly as the trio walked down the base of the tree. After a few minutes of tentatively stepping around branches, another head of spiky silver hair came into view.

Kakashi lifted his head, blinking lazily. He sat at the foot of the tree, surrounded by a group of gear packs. He had an open book in hand, which he promptly snapped shut as his companions approached.

"You could see _everything_ up there!" Beru chirped. Kakashi's eyes turned up in a smile.

"Oh? What did you see?" Kakashi asked. His family reached the ground, and he handed out gear packs as Beru prattled on about the colors of the sky and the sticky sap now stuck to his shoes. Kakashi regarded Yuiko out of the corner of his eye, studying her as she stared up at the tree with a wistful expression.

"My hair is suspiciously dry this time around," Kakashi said. A weak smile parted Yuiko's lips. Her gaze tracked downward until she was staring at the base of the tree.

"I miss her," she whispered. Kakashi nodded knowingly. He reached out, gently wrapping his hand around hers. Yuiko sniffed, quickly using her wrist to dab at the corners of her eyes.

"Which way, Mama?" Suzu asked. She watched Yuiko with a neutral expression. Suzu wasn't as outwardly emotional as her brother, but she still possessed a level of empathy that presented itself in subtle ways. Suzu had been glued to Yuiko's side since coming down from the tree, and would likely stay that way for some time.

"Northeast," Yuiko said, doing her best to smile. Beru pulled out his compass, but Kakashi instructed him to try using the sun's position instead. After a minute of deliberation, Beru chose the correct heading, and they journeyed out. As they began to walk, Suzu grabbed Yuiko's free hand. Yuiko smiled, fighting back the tears forming at the edge of her vision as she gave Kakashi's and Suzu's hands a squeeze.

.

* * *

.

"She's up there?"

"Ah," Kakashi said with a nod. He lowered his gaze from the branches to regard Yuiko, who stared up at the tree with a worried expression.

"She's been up there since early this morning," Kakashi said. He looked away, staring out into the trees. He was perceptive enough to know that something had been off with Kushina from the start. The fact that she had volunteered for this mission instead of spending time at home after being away for so long was part of it. Catching her writing in that green notebook was another unusual mannerism. And that morning Kushina had arisen much earlier than usual to disappear into the branches of the massive tree. Kushina wasn't the type to isolate herself, although Kakashi had little knowledge of dealing with her when she was upset. Minato-Sensei wasn't there, and Kakashi felt just as qualified to help Kushina deal with her issues as he did with his — not at all, to say the least.

"We should head out soon," he said. His eye drifted back to Yuiko. "I don't feel like climbing all the way up there."

Yuiko got the hint. She nodded, dropping her gear pack from her shoulders before stepping toward the tree. She leapt onto the trunk and disappeared in a flicker. The sound of her ascending the tree was no louder than a gentle breeze, and Kakashi zeroed in on it until it faded into the distance. He sighed, taking a seat as he put his back against the trunk. He pulled out a book, staring at the bleak cover adorned with a bloody kunai for a moment before stuffing it back in his side pouch. He then reached for his pack, opening it up and rummaging around for a moment before producing a book with a teal cover littered with hearts. His nose crinkled slightly, but he cracked open the book and began to read.

—

"Hey there!" Kushina said brightly. She watched Yuiko with a warm expression as the girl leapt onto the branch. Kushina's smile widened as she patted the area next to her. Yuiko looked uncertain, but lowered herself into a sitting position.

"Nice view, huh?" Kushina said. Yuiko nodded, her eyes growing slightly wide as she admired the landscape. A pink hue touched the clouds in the distance as the sun rose behind the mountains.

"I like to come up here whenever I'm in the area; you can't get a view like this anywhere else!" Kushina chirped. She took a deep breath of the fresh morning air and a satisfied smile grew on her face. The ever-present sound of rustling leaves filled her ears, but she frowned slightly as the sound grew louder. Kushina look over at Yuiko, who was watching her with a concerned expression.

"Hey, what's that face for, huh?" Kushina asked, swinging an arm around Yuiko's shoulders. "You can't make a face like that in a nice spot like this, ya know?"

Yuiko's expression softened, but the melodic sound of rustling leaves remained. Kushina knew that Yuiko meant well, but the gesture was slowly igniting an irritated feeling in her gut.

"Can you stop that?" Kushina asked, her voice wavering. The sound of rustling leaves died away. Kushina glanced to Yuiko, who was staring at her hands with a distant expression.

"That was Kokuō, yeah?" Kushina asked. The unusually flat tone immediately brought Yuiko back to herself. She looked up at Kushina, her eyes wide. Kushina smiled, although the gesture didn't reach her eyes.

"You're real lucky, ya know?" she said. "To have a Tailed Beast like that … must be nice."

Yuiko nodded slowly, wringing her hands in her lap. Kushina withdrew her arm from around Yuiko's shoulders, gazing off into the distance.

"You don't have to think about it at all," Kushina continued. Her fingers curled around the bark at her sides. "You don't have to worry that you'll lose control and hurt people. You don't have to worry about protecting everyone from yourself. You've got it so easy."

 _Stop it._

A wave of disgust washed over Kushina. She continued to stare ahead. The words were flowing out despite her subconscious screaming at her to stop. She couldn't bring herself to look at Yuiko. Part of her wanted to throw her arms around the girl and beg for forgiveness, but another part clung to the bitterness and insecurity that had been eating at her since she'd welcomed Yuiko into her home.

"I don't know what to do with you," Kushina whispered. "You're messy, and all my jokes fly right over your head, and getting you to talk is like pulling teeth, but …"

Kushina lowered her head. "You try _so hard_ to understand. And when something 'clicks' your whole face lights up, and it's the cutest thing. And when you come home after a mission and you're OK …"

Kushina slowly shook her head. She finally raised it to look sheepishly back at Yuiko. Yuiko was watching her with an anxious expression, wringing the material of her pants between her fingers.

"I'm sorry," Kushina said softly. "I've been running away from things lately, and it suddenly caught up and I don't know what to do. Can we just forget that I said anything?"

The two sat in silence as Yuiko worked up the courage to speak.

"Can I still live with you?" she asked, a waver to her voice. Kushina flinched as if she'd been struck.

"Of course!" she said, growing flustered as Yuiko's eyes grew dewy. "No, no, no! Don't cry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Yuiko quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her arm. Kushina's hands hovered nearby, but she held herself back from fully reaching out.

"Kokuō likes you," Yuiko whispered. This had not been what Kushina was expecting. She regarded Yuiko in surprise.

"Kokuō says you must be the strongest person out there, to deal with the Nine-Tails so well," Yuiko continued, her eyes lowered. "Kokuō can sense its rage when we're close. It says it's terrifying."

Yuiko lifted her eyes. "I'm sorry I don't understand what having something like that inside you is like. I never even asked."

A weary smirk grew on Kushina's face. "It doesn't help that I never talked to you about it, though, huh?"

Yuiko shifted uncomfortably. "I'll clean up after myself more," she said. "and I'll try –"

"No, no, stop," Kushina said, shaking her head. "Just forget all that bullshit. I'm just going through something that's driving me crazy cuz — I dunno. It's like I've got something on the tip of my tongue and I just can't remember what it is. I know that's a pretty poor excuse for me acting like a moron."

"Are you sad?" Yuiko asked, wide eyed. Kushina's smile grew more genuine. The look of concern on Yuiko's face warmed her heart.

"Yeah, I guess I'm sad," Kushina said.

She let out an 'oof' as Yuiko threw her arms around her. Yuiko squeezed – far too tightly – around Kushina's middle. Kushina watched her in astonishment.

Out of nowhere, the last piece of a puzzle Kushina had been struggling to complete fell into place. The sensation was jarring — Kushina's face twisted as she fought back tears.

"You're such a little weirdo!" Kushina cried, adamantly returning Yuiko's hug.

 _But you're my weirdo, dammit._

Kushina clung to Yuiko, resting her head on the girl's shoulder. "You're lucky," she said, opening her eyes. "But I'm pretty lucky too, ya know?"

Kushina released her grip, prompting Yuiko to do the same. She placed her hand on Yuiko's head, ruffling her hair.

"I'm glad you're here," Kushina said. "It's always good to have another person to carry with me." She patted her chest with her hand. "It's nice to know that I have people who will never leave me all alone."

Yuiko nodded adamantly. Kushina studied her, her expression softening. As the moment stretched on, Yuiko grew uncomfortable, a blush touching her cheeks as she looked away.

"I think you've helped me decide something," Kushina said. Yuiko looked at her with a puzzled expression. Kushina's smile turned bashful. She looked away, scratching the side of her face. "I've been kind of an ass to Minato lately."

"Huh?"

"Forget it," Kushina said, slapping Yuiko firmly on the back. Yuiko watched Kushina in confusion as the older woman got to her feet.

"Is Kakashi below?" Kushina asked, putting her hands on her hips. Yuiko nodded. Kushina's grin stretched into something more sinister.

"Let's use a water jutsu to make him think a bird shit on his head," she said. Yuiko's eyes widened in alarm. Kushina threw back her head in laughter.

"You're such a goody-goody!" Kushina said, offering her hand. Yuiko took it, and Kushina helped pull her to her feet.

"You can tell him it was all me, OK?" Kushina said with a wink. Yuiko smiled meekly, but nodded. Kushina turned away, pulling at the bark along the trunk.

"The sap here will help the color," Kushina said matter-of-factly. "I happen to have the sap-to-water ratio down to make the final product pretty convincing."

Kushina cackled again. Many feet below, Kakashi shivered. He chalked the sensation up to the brisk air, and promptly returned to his book.


	149. Chapter 149

"You finished it?" Yuiko asked, gaping at the book. Kakashi sighed. He shook the book up and down in her face until Yuiko finally reached out to grasp it. She stared at the teal cover as if it were a priceless treasure.

"It was a short read," Kakashi said. "I would have finished it sooner if I hadn't had to wash tree sap out of my hair."

Yuiko looked away to hide her embarrassed flush. She used stuffing the book into her gear pack as an excuse to avoid meeting Kakashi's irritated gaze. After the book was tucked away, she was able to compose herself and put on a neutral expression.

Their group was spending the final night of their trip in the last bunker for inspection, which was actually manned on and off for training purposes. Since it was still in rotation, the generator was set up and they were able to use electricity along with hot water for showering. Kushina was using the latter amenity while Kakashi and Yuiko waited for her to prepare dinner. Kushina had insisted on cooking for the last night, which left Yuiko and Kakashi with little else to do.

Yuiko adjusted her sitting position on the table, tucking her legs beneath her as she turned to face Kakashi. They had discovered on arrival that the wooden chairs for the bunker had been stacked up in a closet that suffered from a cracked ceiling. The ceiling had probably been damaged from the last rainy season, and the chairs were victims of a slow leak that caused the wood to rot. Yuiko sealed the rotted chairs into a scroll to be destroyed later. The wood would biodegrade on its own over time, but it couldn't be left near the bunker without risking giving away its position. It wasn't a huge loss, since sitting on a table in an electrically heated bunker was still a lot better than sitting on the dirt outside.

"So what did you think of the story?" Yuiko asked. Kakashi's eye tracked over to meet hers. He watched her with a disinterested expression for a moment before finally giving her an answer.

"I like that it had an ending," he said flatly.

"Me too!" Yuiko said, the true meaning behind Kakashi's statement flying over her head. "I hate when stories end in a really ambiguous way where you don't know if that was the "real" ending or not, you know? Everything was tied up really nicely!"

Yuiko nodded, a pleased grin on her face. Kakashi's shoulders slumped. He decided to let the matter go, his attention drifting to the other end of the room.

"The story did have some issues, though," Yuiko said, a frown touching her lips. "I didn't like that it was written in first person. Everything just felt so _confined_ to Ume's perspective, and I would have liked to know more about what was happening with Yasu and Souta's relationship that Ume wasn't around for."

"Souta was a moron," Kakashi said. "Yasu gave up her job as a nurse to spend more time with him, and he still had to mess around with that weapons shop girl."

"I know!" Yuiko said, balling her hands into fists. "Souta not being able to give up his playboy lifestyle drove me crazy! He should have been like Goro when he changed for Ume!"

"I hated that part," Kakashi said, a line forming between his brows as he regarded Yuiko. Yuiko's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait, what?!" she gasped. "You hated Goro and Ume? But they were so sweet! Goro gave up his promotion in Wind Country in order to stay with her!"

"You don't see anything wrong with that?" Kakashi asked. He leaned closer, pointing at her accusingly. "Do you really think it's OK for someone to give up their dreams and change everything about who they are in order to be in a relationship?"

"No!" Yuiko said quickly. "But it's different! Goro wasn't happy being that way before — falling in love with Ume made his life better, I think."

"It's unrealistic," Kakashi countered. "Goro will go back to gambling and chasing women once the novelty of being in love with Ume wears off. It's in his nature."

"N-no!" Yuiko protested. "He loves her! That changes a person!"

"People don't make a complete turnaround like that in real life," Kakashi said, casually waving his hand. "For example, would you say I've become a completely different person over the time I've known you and Noboru?"

Yuiko frowned. "No, but that's different."

"How so?" Kakashi countered with a lazy shrug. "Goro met someone who changed his life drastically, and the reaction was for his personality to change. I could argue that my life has changed because of my new team, but I don't feel like becoming a different person."

"But the difference is that Goro was in love," Yuiko said, as if the answer was obvious.

Kakashi froze. Yuiko grew puzzled as he stared at her with an expression that she couldn't decipher. After a moment without him offering a witty retort, Yuiko started to become concerned.

"Kakashi-Sensei?" asked, leaning closer. "Are you OK?"

Her knee brushed against his, and Kakashi winced. His wide-eyed expression was accented with a small drop of sweat sliding down his temple. An uncomfortable sensation started to grow in Yuiko's gut as she tried to decipher what was going on.

Kakashi was also feeling something uncomfortable in his stomach, although unlike Yuiko he knew for certain that it wasn't due to the effects of a poison. It wasn't just his stomach that was having issues; in fact, there seemed to be something inherently wrong with every part of his body. He was hot – way, way, _too_ hot – and he couldn't seem to will his limbs to move no matter how hard he tried. Kakashi had been able to break out of countless genjutsus in the past, yet for some reason in this moment his body refused every order he was giving it to flee. Yuiko's face was inches from his, and there seemed to be only one thing his body would allow him to do.

Kakashi slowly leaned forward. Everything in the world around him was shut out from his consciousness outside the sound of his heart pounding in his chest and the sight of Yuiko's parted lips. Something deep inside him was screaming for him to retreat; but for once – just once – he didn't listen. Kakashi could feel Yuiko's breath against his mask, his eye falling closed as his nose brushed hers.

Yuiko's hands bolted to his shoulders, and Kakashi's eye snapped open as she pushed him away.

"IF YOU'RE GOING TO BARF, DON'T DO IT ON ME!" she shouted. Yuiko frantically leapt off the table, her arms flailing about. "Just let me find you a bucket!"

Kakashi blinked in surprise. His shoulders slumped, and he found that the spell had been broken. He was washed in a feeling of equal parts relief and disappointment.

"YOU MORON!"

A small green book flew across the canteen and smacked Yuiko in the back of the head. Yuiko fell to her knees, clutching her scalp.

"YOU HAVE THE SOCIAL AWARENESS OF A POTATO!" Kushina roared. She stomped across the room, dragging Yuiko to her feet as she shook the girl by her flak jacket. "YOU'RE LUCKY I LOVE YOU, BECAUSE I SWEAR I WOULD SMACK SOME SENSE INTO YOU OTHERWISE! HE WAS SERIOUSLY ABOUT TO –"

"Kushina."

Kushina looked over her shoulder at Kakashi. Kakashi met her enraged stare with a passive glance. He slowly shook his head. Kushina's lips pursed in irritation. She let out a deep sigh and released Yuiko. Yuiko wobbled back, holding out her arms to keep her balance.

"Forget it," Kushina huffed. "I must have been mistaken."

Yuiko steadied herself against the counter, regarding Kushina in confusion. The older woman swiftly tied her hair up into a ponytail as she stepped into the kitchen. She unsealed a variety of root vegetables along with a large chef's knife and began to chop the vegetables in a manner that seemed excessive for the simple task.

"I don't feel so good," Yuiko said, her head still spinning. Kushina's chopping ceased momentarily as she glared at the girl.

"Go lie down," Kushina said. "I'll get you when dinner's ready."

Yuiko nodded weakly, shuffling out of the room. Kushina went back to her task, although her remaining companion could tell that she was closely listening to the sound of Yuiko's steps down the hall. At the quiet 'click' of the barracks door sliding shut, Kushina's hand stilled. Her gaze rose to meet Kakashi's, and her eyes narrowed. She lifted the knife in her hand to point in his direction.

"No going past second base until you're married," she snapped. Kakashi regarded her coolly.

"I think you really did misunderstand what you saw," he said passively. Kushina bristled.

"I didn't –!"

"It was nothing," Kakashi said flatly. "Whatever you think you witnessed; it won't happen again."

The anger ebbed from Kushina's face. She lowered her arm and placed the knife on the countertop. She slowly walked out of the kitchen, planting herself before Kakashi. Kakashi's posture grew rigid as he prepared himself to receive a lump on his head matching Yuiko's.

But the blow didn't come.

Instead, Kushina bent over to tightly wrap her arms around Kakashi's shoulders. Kakashi stiffened from the unfamiliar contact.

"She can be an idiot," Kushina whispered softly, "but don't give up on her, alright? She'll figure it out someday."

Kushina straightened, giving Kakashi's hair a ruffle before returning to the kitchen. He watched her with a bored expression as she worked. Every now and then he lifted his head as if to speak, but he seemed to second guess himself, and the disinterested expression returned. After a while he stopped watching her entirely, gazing across the room with a far-away look. Kushina smirked, unsealing a pan for her vegetables.

 _Maybe not today,_ she thought. _But someday they'll get it._

.

* * *

.

"During the exams they test to see how good you are at lying," Suzu said matter-of-factly.

"They change the objectives every year," Kakashi said. "But they do like to see how good you are at gathering intel without getting caught."

"Yeah, it's about how good you are at gathering intel," Suzu parroted. She turned to look up at Kakashi. "Everyone knows that."

"Of course," Kakashi chuckled. The family made their way north along the gritty bank of a wide river. Yuiko took the lead while Kakashi sauntered along behind Beru and Suzu.

"And then you have to fight evil guys from the other villages!" Beru exclaimed. He hopped along backward as he smiled at Kakashi.

"They're not evil," Kakashi said. He had a flashback to his students' Chūnin exams, frowning slightly. "Not often, anyway."

"But Naruto-Sensei had to fight a giant snake that was evil!" Beru exclaimed. Kakashi's brow drooped.

"Well, yes, but that was a long time ago," he said. "It's not like that anymore."

 _It was never supposed to be like that in the first place._

"I could beat an evil shinobi," Suzu said with a serious look on her face.

"I'm sure you could," Kakashi said. "But how would you know they're evil? It isn't always that easy."

"Because they talk like this!" Beru said, doing his best to deepen his voice. He swung around to face Suzu, a wicked smile growing on his face. "I'm going to buy the kitten factory and keep them from unionizing!"

Kakashi watched Beru in confusion. "That's a rather _specific_ evil plan."

"I won't let you!" Suzu shouted, tossing her pack to the side. Beru followed suit, keeping his eyes firmly locked on his sister.

"Those kittens deserve to be fairly compensated for their labor!" Suzu said, pointing at Beru. "I will not let you destroy their quality of living!"

Kakashi slowly raised his eyes. Yuiko had stopped walking and turned to meet his gaze. She smiled sheepishly.

"Anko's father is part of the steel workers union," she said. "Anko is very passionate about the subject."

"Kittens don't need to unionize — they'll benefit from trickle-down economics!" Beru declared. He lunged at Suzu, and the two of them grappled and rolled among the pebbles. After a short struggle, the pair leapt apart. Beru backed away until he stood before Yuiko. He pulled a training kunai from his belt, pointing it at her leg.

"Agree to my demands or she gets it!" he shouted. Yuiko dramatically fell to her knees, throwing her arm over her eyes.

"Help!" she shouted. "I'm being oppressed!"

"Officer!" Beru shouted, indicating Kakashi. Kakashi pointed to himself, and Beru nodded.

"Arrest that protester for trying to upend the system!" he demanded. Kakashi looked down at Suzu, offering her a slow blink.

"You can't do that!" Suzu objected. "You're an officer of _the law!_ You're supposed to be on _our_ side!"

Kakashi reached down and grabbed Suzu around the wrist. "Sorry," he said. "They're paying me under the table."

Suzu's mouth opened in surprise from the betrayal. "I should have known," she said, her violet eyes narrowing. "You have the face of criminal scum."

Kakashi's lids drooped. "That's getting a little personal."

Beru let out a sudden shout. Yuiko had grabbed him from behind and pinned him to the ground. Her free hand worked around his ribs, Beru squealing in laughter as he wiggled to free himself.

"We demand canned food!" Yuiko exclaimed. "And all the scratches we want! We will not be silenced!"

"Yeah!" Suzu shouted. She kicked Kakashi in the shin. It didn't hurt, but Kakashi still gave her an incredulous look as he released her from his grip. Suzu ran over to Yuiko, getting on her knees and joining in Beru's torture.

"OK! I'm dead, I'm dead!" Beru laughed. Yuiko stopped poking him, but didn't release him from her hold.

"You're not 'dead,'" she said. "You're conceding to our demands."

"Fine!" Beru said, still struggling as Suzu continued the onslaught. Yuiko released him, and Beru quickly rolled out of Suzu's reach. Suzu puffed out her cheeks in a pout.

"Just kidding!" Beru said, a smug smile growing on his face. He turned to Kakashi. "Come on, let's get 'em!"

Kakashi sauntered forward. He bent down and scooped up Beru to carry him over his shoulder.

"Hey! What gives?" Beru said, flailing his arms.

"I've gone on an introspective journey, and had a change of heart," Kakashi said mildly. "I'm also hungry."

Beru's flailing ceased. "Can we have curry?" he asked.

"If your mother packed some," Kakashi replied.

Yuiko stood up and began to dust herself off. "I did," she said.

"Can we have it with ginger rice?" Beru asked, straining to look at Yuiko over his shoulder. His mother nodded.

"All right!" Beru shouted. He began humming a cheerful tune as he swayed on Kakashi's shoulder. Kakashi smiled, giving his son a squeeze. His eyes drifted to Yuiko as she watched their approach with a warm smile. Kakashi used his free hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, studying the way the light reflecting off the water danced over the pale strands.

"What is it?" Beru asked, watching Yuiko with a curious expression.

Kakashi hummed, withdrawing his hand. "I'm just grateful the two of you inherited your mother's good looks, that's all."

Kakashi caught Yuiko's blush out of the corner of his eye as he turned to continue his stroll. Beru shifted on his perch to gaze down at him.

"But you're not bad either, Papa. People would probably stop saying you're hiding an ugly face if you didn't wear a mask."

There was a slight falter to Kakashi's step, but luckily the Anbu were the only ones paying close enough attention to catch it.

* * *

A/N: Holy crap I just realized that I've been updating LOACN for about a year. I've never written anything nearly as long as this story so the concept is kind of crazy to me. To everybody who's reading this, no matter how long ago you started following the story, thank you! This experience has been really fun and I love writing along with reading all the comments you guys have. ^_^


	150. Chapter 150

Yuiko finished her final sweep of the bunker, regarding the canteen with a stern expression. She flipped open her field book, noting that the only issue identified with bunker #37 was a small patch of mold growing in the bathroom. She snapped the book closed and stuffed it into her side pouch as she made her way to the ladder. Within a few seconds she stood in the shade of a gnarled willow tree.

Yuiko quickly performed the seal to disguise the bunker entrance, her eyes tracing over the tree's trunk to ensure it was properly hidden. Satisfied, she stood and looked about. She knew that Kakashi was likely nearby, checking out the perimeter to ensure that no parts of the bunker were peeking above ground. Her sense of smell quickly picked up something familiar, and it didn't take her long to find the source.

Yuiko walked into a small glen, her brows knitting together in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"We're cicadas!" Beru shouted. He was hugging a large tree trunk, and his sister was doing the same on the next tree over. The thing that surprised her most, however, was that Kakashi was also splayed out on a trunk of his own.

"I see," Yuiko said, tilting her head. "It's not the way _I_ would choose to pass the time, but to each their own."

"It's a very demanding chakra control exercise," Kakashi stated matter-of-factly. "The amount of chakra used for each point of contact doesn't need to be as much as for only using your feet or hands, but keeping continuous contact over a large area of your body for a long period of time requires very precise control."

"Uh huh," Yuiko said, idly stepping up to Kakashi. "Since _you're_ participating in this exercise, I assume there's something to gain from it."

Kakashi's eyes turned up in a smile. "You know me too well."

"The winner doesn't have to dust out the next bunker," Suzu stated. Beru nodded adamantly.

Yuiko hummed in thought for a moment, and then smiled sweetly. "Is there any particular reason that _I_ wasn't invited to join in this contest?"

"Papa said there needed to be at least one adult supervising the cleanup," Suzu replied. Yuiko kept her warm expression, slowly turning her head to face Kakashi. Kakashi was very pointedly staring off into space.

Yuiko gently placed her hand on Kakashi's back and he immediately started to fall. He scrambled to regain his grip, but his limbs moved through the tree as if it were an illusion. Kakashi fluctuated his chakra to fight Yuiko's influence, but he couldn't regain his hold before his ankle brushed the ground.

"You lose, Papa!" Beru cried.

"I'm going to say both the kids win," Yuiko said, clapping her hands together. "You two can play while Papa and I clean out the last bunker."

Beru let out a triumphant shout as he hopped to the ground. Suzu landed at his side, smiling proudly.

"That wasn't fair," Kakashi pouted as he got to his feet. The corner of Yuiko's eye twitched, and he quickly stepped away.

"Let's get going!" Yuiko chirped, walking over to ruffle her children's hair. "We need to get there soon, since Papa is going to have _a lot_ of work to do!"

Beru and Suzu immediately jumped into brainstorming their plans for the afternoon. Yuiko encouraged them to walk as they chatted, occasionally chiming in herself with an idea.

Kakashi stuffed his hands in his pockets and glumly watched the exchange. He let out a sigh, mourning the nap that wasn't meant to be.

–

Kakashi hummed thoughtfully. He reached out a finger and flicked on the light switch. The bunker lights flickered before bathing the room in their artificial glow. Not a single speck of dirt could be seen on the tables or countertops, and all the chairs were folded up neatly against the far wall.

"This is number forty-two, right?" Yuiko asked, double-checking her map. She was certain that they were at the right place, but the condition of the canteen made it seem like the bunker was still in active rotation.

"I'll go check out the barracks," Kakashi said. "Maybe a squad used this area recently without spending the night."

Kakashi made his way further into the bunker. He opened the door to the barracks and slowly walked between the rows of metal bunk beds. The mattresses were bare, and he found the sheets neatly folded and sealed in water-proof containers in a closet. He continued into the restroom and scrutinized the condition of the amenities; everything was spotless, and he had no issues getting the toilet to flush or the water to run both hot and cold in the shower and sink.

Kakashi left the bathroom with a puzzled expression. Bunker forty-two was in perfect condition and was clearly still in active rotation. He even spotted some paint cans and carpentry tools piled up in a corner. Many of the more commonly used bunkers were getting a face-lift that included updating the beds to more modern frames and adding electronic kitchen appliances such as refrigerators and ovens. Kakashi wondered if there had been a typo on the mission scroll as he continued his inspection. He was just finishing up checking the generator's wiring when Yuiko's voice called from down the hall.

Kakashi put his work on hold and made his way back to the canteen. Yuiko appeared from a side door, a scroll in hand.

"I found this in the scroll drop," Yuiko said, brandishing the paper. "I undid the seal and it's addressed to you."

Kakashi regarded the scroll curiously. He took it from Yuiko's outstretched hand and stepped over to the nearest table, where he unrolled it and activated the simple storage seal within. A folded note appeared, revealing a small book hiding underneath. The note opened with a flick of his wrist, and Kakashi immediately recognized Shikamaru's meticulous handwriting.

' _I found this notebook waiting on my desk the morning we spoke about coming up with a mission for your family. I don't believe in fate, so I'm just going to chalk it up to a convenient coincidence. Anyway, I had it delivered back to where the workers found it lodged between one of the old bedframes. I don't think it belongs to you, but I figured you and your wife would want to look it over before sending it to its rightful owner.'_

Kakashi turned to regard Yuiko, who was reading the letter over his shoulder. Her eyes drifted up to meet his, and he was sure he looked just as confused as she did. He placed the letter aside and picked up the small, green pocketbook. The dry pages crinkled beneath his fingers as he gingerly opened it.

' _Mikoto gave this to me for the Rinne Festival, so I'll be damned if I don't use it. Now I can say I have! Haha!'_

Kakashi frowned, delicately turning to the next page.

' _She seriously says I need to write in this thing. Fine! Look at me, I'm writing! Writing writing writing. I'm just going to lose this stupid thing somewhere, anyway.'_

Crudely drawn pictures of cartoony faces lined the bottom of the page, their expressions ranging from toothy smiles to angry grimaces. Kakashi was completely lost, wondering why Shikamaru would entrust him with what was seemingly a child's diary. Yuiko nudged his elbow, and he turned to the next page. It appeared that the following three pages had been torn out. The writing on the next intact page as somewhat lopsided and hastily written.

' _What the hell is wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? Is it the thing inside me that's making me feel this way, or I am I just a terrible person? I swear I don't hate her. I swear that she makes me smile. But sometimes I wish that it was just Minato and I again. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if I hadn't opened my big mouth and Yuiko had gone to live with someone else. Is it her, or me?'_

Kakashi's stomach dropped. He closed his eyes, and opened them slowly to regard Yuiko at his side. She had turned away, hiding her expression under her bangs. Kakashi watched her sadly. Yuiko shifted, bumping his shoulder. He reluctantly turned the page.

' _Minato tried to talk about THAT again. I blew him off. What a great wife I am, right? I'm not afraid of ANYTHING, and here I am running from my own husband.'_

For the first time, another note was written further down the page.

' _Yuiko could tell that something was wrong. She made me a plate of rice balls. They fell apart in my hands, and she added way too much salt. They were still good.'_

Kakashi's features relaxed. He flipped to the next page.

' _That girl won't listen! She leaves stacks of dirty bowls EVERYWHERE. And I keep telling her to brush her hair out BEFORE getting in the shower. I've had to unclog the drain three times in the last seven weeks! YUIKOOOOOOOOO'_

…

' _Yuiko had burns all over when she got back from her mission. I know how fast she heals, which means these were pretty bad. She says she's OK, but I can't stay still. My hands are all pruny from washing every plate in the house. I need to find something else to keep me moving.'_

…

' _Yuiko made a joke! Holy shit! She royally messed up the punchline, but she honestly tried to make a joke! I probably laughed too hard, she's going to think she's a comedian now or something! Hahahahaha'_

…

' _Minato finally cornered me about having a baby. I told him the truth. I can't do it. There, I said it again. Raising a child is so much harder than it has any right to be. Yuiko's been around for less than a year, and I'm already pulling my hair out every time her mission runs long or she gets hurt. I can barely do this, how can I do it again with a child that I've known from the beginning? And it's not like I don't remember how he was when Obito and Rin died. We've lost comrades before … but not like that. I don't think he could go through that again and come back.'_

…

' _I think I broke his heart.'_

There were a few more pages that had been torn out.

' _It's starting to get better. Minato smiled today, and I really felt it. I'm still a little uneasy. I think he wants to talk about it again.'_

The ink color changed from black to blue on the next page, and Kushina's handwriting was accented with sloppy lines as if she was using an uneven surface.

' _He knows why I took the mission. I'm supposed to be a kunoichi, dammit, I should be able to hide things better than this. Minato looked sad, but he took it better than I thought. He's so damn thoughtful, which just makes me feel worse. I just need a little more time to clear my head. This will be the first time I go on a mission with Yuiko. I'm curious to see how she does in the field.'_

…

' _Operation Matchmaking:_

 _Get Yuiko to confess._

 _Give them as much time alone as possible. Something romantic?_

 _The academy still teaches about THAT in health class, right?_

 _*Give them alone time, but not TOO MUCH._

 _Point out how great Yuiko is (easy)_

 _Point out Kaksahi's non-gloomy qualities.'_

…

' _Getting her to confess is going to be harder than I thought. Maybe I should put them in a romantic situation. I wonder if I can get the Anbu to pretend to kidnap her …'_

…

' _I don't think there's any sort of deity out there, but if there is, I'm going to pray that Kakashi will be OK. I didn't know how much pain he's still in. I feel so useless. My mind goes completely blank when I try to think of anything I can say to him. Please let him be OK.'_

…

' _Operation Picnic was a success! The two of them had run off into the woods together by the time I came back. I caught Yuiko putting on her shoe, and she said it was from some game. I think I know what THAT game was! Hahahahahaha_

 _Ugh- I seriously hope they still teach **that stuff** in health class, because I really don't think I can keep a straight face if I have to talk to her about it.'_

…

' _They are seriously the cutest things. They got covered in dust cleaning out the closet, and Kakashi showed her the most efficient way to shake herself off. He looked so proud, but Yuiko just phased the dust off into a little pile. The look on his face was HILARIOUS.'_

…

' _We told stories way too far into the first shift last night. Yuiko was a lot better at storytelling than I would have thought. She has a story about EVERYONE. I don't want to say she spies on people … but she spies on people. It would be super creepy if she wasn't a cute kid. Kakashi also had a lot of good ones about Guy. I ALMOST got him to laugh when I told him the story of Minato ruining the laundry. I like seeing this side of him.'_

…

' _Yuiko never knew that songbirds were edible. I told her all the best tasting ones, and she seemed really interested. I guess I had never shown her something she didn't know in the field before. It was nice.'_

…

' _I watched them sleep for a bit._

 _I keep looking back at that sentence and it just keeps getting creepier. Whatever. I liked the looks on their faces when they slept. Yuiko sleeps more heavily, so I MAY have scooched her hand over a bit until it touched Kakashi's. My heart nearly exploded when Kakashi's fingers curled around hers. I hope they have a spring wedding. I hope I don't cry too much when it happens.'_

…

' _I love her. That sounds like a line from one of her stupid books, right? It took me a while to admit it. Helping a kid grow is so much different than I expected. But I get it. Minato tried to tell me before. He looked so shocked when I told him that Yuiko made me reevaluate having a child of my own. He said that for him it was the opposite. I thought it was crazy, but now I get it. It's terrifying and wonderful all at the same time. Every day she does something to piss me off, and every day she does something else that makes me laugh harder than I have before. I want to fill my life with more of that. I want a gaggle of kids running around my feet all pissing me off and making me laugh at the same time. I think I have more than enough room left in my heart for it.'_

…

' _I need to write to keep my hands away from Yuiko's throat. That kiss would have been the closest thing to a confession a boy like Kakashi would ever give … AND SHE BLEW IT! She's such a dimwit! I told Kakashi not to give up, and I think he took it to heart. She'll wake up someday. Hell, I bet she'll even be the one to confess! Poor thing, I'm sure she'd be shaking like a leaf. But they'll take care of each other – they already do. I'm not worried about it.'_

…

' _I got up a little early to write before I finish packing up. We're heading back to Konoha today. I'm so nervous my heart is beating like crazy. I don't know what Minato is going to say. I think he'll be happy, but what if he's changed his mind? What if he's come to peace with not having a child? My palms are getting gross with sweat and I can barely hold this pen. I'm going to take a walk.'_

The remaining pages were blank. Something fluttered from the back of the notebook and came to a rest on the table. It was the shriveled remains of an orange lily, curled up and almost unrecognizable. Kakashi didn't want to touch it, knowing that it would probably crumble beneath his fingers.

Yuiko slowly lowered herself to the floor. Kakashi quickly put down the notebook and knelt down next to her. Yuiko's hand was covering her mouth, but it did little to muffle the pained whimper. Kakashi pulled her into a tight embrace. He held her as she cried, his jacket absorbing her tears. They stayed that way for some time, Kakashi gently stroking Yuiko's hair as she sobbed.

The memories had grown fuzzy over time, but Kushina's likeness still lingered in his subconscious. Kakashi could picture the way her entire body convulsed when she laughed and how her short frame could tower over anyone when she was angry. Despite Kushina's inherent nature of being physically affectionate with her friends, she did her best to restrain herself for Kakashi's sake. Instead he was showered with pokes and hair ruffles that he pretended to simply tolerate. In truth, it made him feel like a part of a family, akin to being teased by an older sibling. Kushina had always been looking out for him, one way or another.

' _Are there any boys_ _that you like, Yuiko?'_

Kakashi had turned around that night and made his way back to the campsite when he found that he had missed picking up one of the spoons to be washed. The question uttered by Kushina immediately made him stop in his tracks, leaving him frozen among the branches. Terror had washed over him, and at the time he wasn't sure if it was more over what Yuiko's answer might be or another frightening concept.

 _Kushina knows._

In retrospect Kakashi was ultimately more worried about Yuiko's answer than Kushina's insight. It was petrifying thinking that there was an exterior force that would encourage him to face his feelings, but at the same time there was at least one other person who actually knew what those feelings were. There was someone standing behind him, giving him a slight shove to move forward. Despite the encouragement Kakashi received from Minato, he ultimately chose not to share many of his thoughts with his former teacher. Minato was probably just as observant as his wife, if not more, but Kushina had a habit of meddling.

' _Oh ho? And who would that be?'_ Kushina's voice had purred as she encouraged Yuiko to speak.

Kakashi had feared that his teammates would pick up the sound of his heart beating from his hiding place among the leaves. His knuckles had turned white from his grip on the dirty dishes, and he tried to calm himself by lying about how it didn't matter; how it wouldn't matter if Yuiko's answer was Noboru, Genma, or even Guy. How he would be happy as long as she was happy.

But Kakashi also couldn't stop thinking about what it would mean if she said his name.

Kakashi brought his thoughts back to the present. His eyes drifted to Yuiko, and his hand stilled from where he had absently been stroking her hair. Her tears had stopped, but she still sat with her face buried in his jacket. He smiled, leaning his cheek against her hair.

'… _they'll take care of each other – they already do. I'm not worried about it.'_

 _I'll always …_

The memory of Yuiko sitting in a hospital bed flashed before his eyes. She had just returned from the village after being away for so long, and it was like she had come back from the dead. She had her face buried in her hands, her fingers tangled in her hair as she laughed. It was an unfamiliar sound – like someone trying to mimic laughter having never experienced it before. But Kakashi thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard.

 _Always …_

' _YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME!'_ Yuiko's voice echoed. She had made that declaration from the bottom of her heart, although she didn't understand just yet what that meant.

' _I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU!'_ Yuiko had shouted, squeezing her eyes closed out of embarrassment. She had made that declaration from the bottom of her heart, and this time she had figured out what it meant.

' _I'll never leave you,'_ Yuiko had said, placing her hand on his chest. The reanimation jutsu had been moments from tearing her away, but she still smiled.

… _be in her heart._

' _She can be an idiot,'_ Kushina had said, smiling softly, _'but don't give up on her, alright? She'll figure it out someday.'_

Kakashi tightened his hold on Yuiko, burying his face into her shoulder.

 _And she will always be in mine. You don't have to worry, Kushina._


	151. Chapter 151

"You know you're my favorite, right?"

Yuiko hummed, rubbing her cheek against that of the child in her arms.

"We're right here, Mama," Beru said flatly. He and Suzu glared up at Yuiko with rather unamused expressions. She had come to pick them up from the academy, and they had ended up bumping into another parent with the same objective.

"Your mom's just messin' with ya," Naruto said with a smirk. "Although my boy is pretty cute."

Said boy was now trying to pry himself from Yuiko's grasp. Boruto Uzumaki let out a defeated sigh, his bright blue eyes staring at his father with a pleading expression.

"Are we going to be here a while?" Beru asked, shifting anxiously. "Can we go play the shoe game?"

"Shoe game?" Boruto said, turning to look down at Beru. Beru's face brightened.

"Yup! I'm the champion!"

"Liar," Suzu said. Beru put a finger over his mouth and shushed his sister.

"Daddy, can I go?" Boruto asked, bending backwards to gaze at his father. Naruto smiled, putting his hands on his hips.

"Sure! You gotta give Yuiko a big hug before you go, though," he said. Boruto snapped up to wrap his arms around Yuiko's neck. A goofy smile adorned Yuiko's face as she returned the gesture. She put Boruto down, and the three children immediately dashed to the other side of the schoolyard.

"He's like a little you," Yuiko said, watching Boruto's blonde hair bob in the breeze as he bent over to fiddle with the straps on his sandals.

"He looks a lot like me," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head, "but man is he smarter. I didn't know half the things he does at his age."

The pair stood watching their children take turns kicking their shoes across the yard. Boruto had a height disadvantage, but that didn't dampen his spirit as his sandals fell short. He would laugh, declaring that he was going to send his shoe sailing across Konoha after he was done warming up.

"So how did the 'test run' go?" Yuiko asked with a grin.

"Ehh …"

Naruto's smile turned queasy. "I still want to be the Hokage, but it's a lot different from what I was imagining, ya know?"

"Paperwork?" Yuiko said. Naruto nodded.

"Shikamaru probably just gave you some low-priority tasks that would normally be handled by the administrators," Yuiko said. "The system Shikamaru and I worked out has the admins handling most of the everyday issues while Kakashi only spends time on things that are more critical, or items the admins can't agree on."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yup!" Yuiko chirped. "A few years back Shikamaru and I got to observe a form of government that worked in a similar fashion. It's been tweaked a few times, but I think it's helped to free up the Hokage's workload tremendously."

"Woah, I had no idea you guys did that," Naruto said. "Are you copying what one of the other hidden villages does or somethin'?"

"No, it was –"

Yuiko squeaked. She coughed into her hand. "I don't recall."

Naruto frowned. Yuiko smiled awkwardly as she chuckled. In truth, only a handful of people in Konoha – and a certain (very handsomely paid) archaeologist – were aware of the remaining assembly of the Uzumaki clan.

Yuiko and Shikamaru had ended up sitting down with Kakashi and telling him everything about their time with the Uzumaki clan only a few days after the twins were born. Yuiko would have liked to wait a little longer, but Shikamaru convinced her that keeping a clan of extreme isolationists who were sitting atop an unimaginable amount of chakra a secret for too long was a very bad idea.

If it hadn't been for the serious expression sketched across Shikamaru's face during the retelling of events, Kakashi almost wouldn't have believed it. Yuiko didn't have a tendency to lie or exaggerate, but her husband would have been inclined to believe that she had fallen under an elaborate genjutsu considering how outlandish the tale had been. But as the story wrapped up, Kakashi's demeanor shifted.

Both Yuiko and Shikamaru had been around Kakashi for long enough to read underneath the underneath. His expression revealed little, but his body language reflected that the relaxed slouch was nothing more than a front. Kakashi was furious, and Shikamaru had already informed Yuiko that the Hokage would likely want to jump into immediate action. The summoning seal that the Uzumakis possessed not only posed a threat to Naruto and Yuiko, but now to his children as well. The idea that his entire family could be ripped away from him in the blink of an eye was not a concept the Hokage took lightly.

However, Yuiko had come prepared for this reaction. Like Sasuke had mentioned earlier, a summoning contract can be broken from either end; although he hadn't visited her in the hospital, Sasuke did leave a scroll with Shikamaru that perfectly outlined the Uzumakis' summoning seal. Using this information, Yuiko had been able to create a seal that would prevent the original from resonating with her blood. She duplicated the seals for her children, and with Kurama's help she'd been able to put one on Naruto under the guise of giving the beast more "wiggle room" in Naruto's mindscape (Naruto being unaware that the limitations to the mindscape were already far beyond what Kurama would ever require).

Yuiko had every intention of also informing Karin Uzumaki, but that notion was shot down by both Kakashi and Shikamaru. Even though Orochimaru and his companions were technically allied with Konoha, the idea of making him aware of the Uzumaki clan and their capabilities in terms of the Ley Line was something that had the potential to be dangerous. Yuiko didn't like it, but the decision was to take an "ask for forgiveness later" approach if anything should happen. It was the same line of thought that lead to Yuiko using deception to place the seal on Naruto (and Boruto as well, later on) instead of revealing the truth.

Yuiko didn't want to give Naruto the heartbreak of knowing that the rest of their clan still existed but adamantly refused to see the new world he had helped to build. She hoped that the clan would come around _someday_ , and she would be more than happy to facilitate introductions when the time came. The time that Naruto would need to be filled in was rapidly approaching, though, since it couldn't be kept a secret once he accepted the Hokage hat.

Yuiko quickly shook her head, ridding the testy subject from her mind. "Well, you still have some time to prepare for it," she said. "Despite all his grumbling, Kakashi isn't ready to retire just yet."

Naruto sighed, "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm a little grateful that I have some time. I couldn't imagine not being able to spend time with Hintata and Boruto like –"

Naruto stopped, his eyes growing wide. "Ugh, sorry!" he exclaimed. "I'm sure it sucks for Kakashi-Sensei to be busy all the time! I wasn't trying'a brag or anything!"

Yuiko's expression grew thoughtful. Her gaze drifted back to their children across the yard. They had grown tired of the shoe game, and were now studying something in Boruto's open palm – most likely a bug, considering Boruto's current hobby.

"It can be hard," Yuiko said softly. "That trip was the longest time the four of us had spent together in almost two years. Kakashi and I knew when we decided to have children that things would be that way, but it doesn't make it any easier."

Naruto watched her uncomfortably. Yuiko met his gaze, the corners of her mouth lifting in a smile.

"But they drive us forward," she continued. "Beru and Suzu are a representation of what Kakashi wants Konoha to become. Our family will grow alongside our village; hopefully for the better."

Naruto beamed. "I like that," he said. He turned his head to regard his son. "Can I steal that for my coronation speech or somethin'?"

Yuiko snorted. Naruto's eyes turned up in a smile.

"If you're looking for something corny," Yuiko said, "than your predecessor is the one who you should talk to instead of me."

Naruto chuckled, scratching his nose. "Yeah, maybe you're right."

Yuiko waved away the subject. "That's still a long time away," she said. "In the meantime, it looks like you've really picked up on the whole parenting thing. You're a natural!"

Naruto's smile turned sheepish as he rubbed the back of his head. "Ya think? I don't know what I'm doing most the time; I just try to make him happy. Although I guess I've kinda gotten the hang of it. I'm a lot less nervous about Hinata havin' another baby than I was the first time around."

Naruto's smile widened. "I'm pretty pumped! I can't wait to have another kid to joke around with, and for Boruto to have a sister. They'll be able to look out for each other, like with Hinata and Hanabi, and me and you."

Yuiko regarded Naruto in surprise. She nodded in concurrence, turning away slightly so Naruto wouldn't notice the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"You OK?" Naruto asked, tilting his head to the side.

Yuiko nodded again, quickly wiping her face. She reached into a side pouch and produced a small item. The object appeared to be a green notebook sealed within a clear bag. Naruto regarded it curiously as she held it out to him.

"This is yours," Yuiko said softly. "There was a dried flower in the back that I preserved. I was hoping I could keep it, if you didn't mind."

Naruto took the book, puzzled. "Uh, yeah, I guess," he said. Yuiko smiled, looking at him gratefully. He tucked the book into the breast pocket of his orange jacket. As soon as he had done so, Yuiko threw her arms around his middle, squeezing him tightly. Naruto stood with his arms out to the side in surprise. His expression softened and he shrugged, returning the embrace.

–

" _Hey, Yuiko?"_

Naruto's voice echoed in her head. Yuiko froze, a piece of tofu dangling between her fingers over the sizzling frying pan. Her relaxed expression immediately hardened.

" _What's wrong?"_

" _Nothing! Sorry,"_ Naruto chuckled. _"I shoulda led with that since we only talk like this in emergencies, huh?"_

The tension between Yuiko's shoulders relaxed. She dropped the piece of tofu, reaching into the bowl in her opposite hand for another piece.

" _It's fine,"_ she said. _"What's up?"_

" _I, um … thanks for my mom's journal. I liked reading it – I could kinda picture her sayin' all the words, ya know?"_

Yuiko smiled. _"For someone who hated writing, she was able to express herself on paper surprisingly well."_

Naruto didn't answer. Yuiko flipped over the tofu in the pan, only noticing after a moment that he still hadn't spoken.

" _I'm sorry,"_ Naruto's voice suddenly cut in. Yuiko frowned.

" _You're sorry?"_ she said.

Naruto paused again. A line formed between Yuiko's brows as she fought to remain focused on not burning dinner.

" _My mom gave me another message for you back when I saw her on the island,"_ Naruto said.

Yuiko's hand stilled. She recalled Naruto telling her that he had briefly been able to speak with the piece of his mother's chakra that had been implanted in his seal during the time that he fought to gain control of Kurama. It had been so long ago, though, she felt that she wouldn't have even recalled the conversation had he not mentioned it.

" _Mom called you a dimwit,"_ Naruto continued. He chuckled, although there didn't appear to be any humor behind it. _"She also said that she loved you."_

Yuiko bowed her head. The oil in the pan popped, snapping her back into action as she quickly turned off the burner.

" _I loved her too,"_ Yuiko said. _"Very much."_

Yuiko raised her eyes to stare at the spice rack above the stove. _"Why didn't you tell me she said that?"_

Naruto made a low sound between a hum and a sigh.

" _I mean, she told me that she loved me too, but …"_ Naruto trailed off. Yuiko moved the pan onto the countertop, her eyes drifting over the trails of oil that hugged the tofu as it settled.

" _I got kinda mad, ya know?"_ Naruto said. _"Ugh, I dunno. Maybe mad isn't right. You got to know her and Dad when you were growin' up and …"_

Yuiko closed her eyes.

 _And you didn't._

" _I know it's not your fault or anything,"_ Naruto continued. _"But back when she said that, I just … I dunno."_

" _It doesn't seem fair,"_ Yuiko said, slowly opening her eyes. _"I've had that thought since the day you were born."_

Naruto sighed again. _"Sorry,"_ he repeated. _"I actually got over being upset over that a long time ago, but I just forgot about it up until I read my mom's journal."_

Yuiko tilted her head. _"I feel like I should give you some grief for that, but I guess saving the world was a pretty good excuse for being preoccupied."_

Yuiko grinned as Naruto let out a barking laugh.

" _I know everyone says you look like your dad,"_ Yuiko said, snatching a spatula off the counter, _"but you remind me more of your mom."_

" _That's weird,"_ Naruto said, his tone brightening. _"You colorblind or somethin'?"_

" _Funny,"_ Yuiko deadpanned, scooping tofu from the pan.

" _See, I dunno how highly I can hold your opinion,"_ Naruto said casually. _"According to what Mom wrote about you, you're pretty dense – I feel kinda bad for Kakashi-Sensei."_

" _Coming from the guy whose wife was so obviously in love with him for years that almost everyone in the village was aware of it except for him,"_ Yuiko retorted.

Naruto laughed again. _"You got me there,"_ he said. _"Must be somethin' wrong with us, huh?"_

Yuiko's eyes closed in a smile. _"Yes, I suppose so."_

 _._

* * *

.

A/N: And that closes out the last, and final, arc of this story. There will be a bit of a time skip for the next chapter, followed by the epilogue after that. It's a little crazy to me that this story is finally coming to a close, but it's been a fun ride that I hope you all have enjoyed too!


	152. Chapter 152

Kakashi slowly opened his eyes. Sunlight streamed in through the curtains, although it wasn't the light that brought him out of his slumber. He inhaled deeply, taking in the pleasant aroma of cooked eggs before sitting up in bed. He glanced at the empty space next to him and regarded it fondly before tossing aside the covers.

Kakashi reached his hands above his head and stretched out his back, grateful that the care he had been taking to fit in some light sparring between meetings had resulted in the disappearance of the popping sounds that used to ensue.

 _I'm still getting a belly, though,_ he thought, his lids drooping.

Yuiko was finishing up breakfast as he stepped into the living room. She was already wearing her matching black pencil skirt and blouse. The white jacket and black shoes that she would be wearing to complete the ensemble were placed with care by the front door. In the meantime, she sported a bright yellow apron with a large print depicting a cat's winking face.

"It must be a special occasion," Kakashi said, pulling out a chair. "You only make omelets when something important happens."

"I figured the smell would be a better wake-up call than me phasing you through the bed," Yuiko said sweetly, approaching the table with two plates in hand. She set the plates down before retreating to grab two sets of chopsticks. Kakashi regarded the plate before him, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled.

Despite years of practice, Yuiko never quite got the light, fluffy consistency of omelets down. While the ones Kakashi would make turned out like perfect pillows, Yuiko's were more akin to piles of lumpy yellow sponge. Kakashi had once made the mistake of calling them scrambled, a term that never again passed his lips after he saw the embarrassed flush that rose up Yuiko's cheeks. Ever since then, they were omelets, looks be damned.

"What time is it?" Kakashi asked. Yuiko handed him his chopsticks as she settled herself across from him.

"On time," Yuiko said, plucking a chunk of eggs from her plate. Kakashi hummed, pulling down his mask to join his wife in eating breakfast.

"I take it the pea pods already left?" Kakashi asked. Yuiko nodded, a small line forming between her brows.

"I'm surprised you didn't want them to come with us," she said.

Kakashi shrugged, lifting up another piece of egg. "I told them there was no pressure if they didn't want to. I wouldn't be going either, if I could help it."

Yuiko shook her head, although the disapproving gesture was countered by the smile touching her lips. They ate in content silence for a few moments until the plates were clear. Kakashi reached for Yuiko's plate, but she shooed him away with a comment about him getting dressed. Like always, Kakashi was already in his black jumpsuit, so there wasn't much to add.

Kakashi walked back into the bedroom. He opened the closet and found his robe waiting for him. He slid the garment from the hanger and regarded the white material accented with the fiery-red symbols with a dreamy expression. He let out a soft sigh, swinging the robe around and pulling his arms through the sleeves. Kakashi adjusted the collar before making his way back into the living room. He found Yuiko waiting for him, smiling gently as he approached.

Kakashi's eyes tracked downward. "Heels? You don't wear heels," he said.

Yuiko shrugged. "Hinata really loved them. She was hesitant to buy a pair since she normally doesn't wear things like that. I told her I would wear them too, which seemed to make her feel better."

Kakashi raised his eyes. "Lying to the Hokage is a criminal offense, you know."

Yuiko's smile widened. "It's _sort of_ true. Hinata ended up getting something more practical – I like feeling tall."

"And I like the view, so it's a win-win," Kakashi said, opening the door and motioning for Yuiko to pass. Yuiko chuckled, walking through the threshold. Kakashi watched her for a moment before shutting the door and ambling after her. The two walked side-by-side down the mostly barren streets, returning the greetings they received from those passing by. Most of Konoha's citizens sported black clothes finished with a white jacket in a similar fashion to Yuiko's ensemble. As they approached the center of the village, Kakashi caught the tail end of a large group of people headed toward the Hokage tower. He reached out to take Yuiko's hand, guiding her down a deserted side street.

"Where are you going?" Yuiko asked.

"We're getting lost on the road of life," Kakashi said, looking back to shoot her a wink. A disapproving frown touched Yuiko's lips.

"It will only be for a little while," Kakashi reassured her. Yuiko didn't answer, but he felt her grip on his hand tighten. Kakashi smiled, pulling them down another side street. He slowed his pace as the chatter from the crowd faded away, and the couple walked hand-in-hand through the shadows of the buildings. Kakashi tilted his head back to admire the large glass skyscraper that now housed Konoha's budding jutsu research facility. Rays of sunlight danced across the windows, illuminating the colorful paper banners that stretched overhead.

"A lot changed over the years," Kakashi mused. Yuiko hummed in agreement. The road curved to the right, stretching into a small courtyard with a quaint water feature at its center. The ground was littered with confetti, likely from the previous night's celebration.

"You did well," Yuiko said, patting Kakashi's arm. Kakashi sighed, his eyes drifting over the empty storefronts.

"I could have done better."

"Konoha is in a better place than it's ever been," Yuiko said, watching him sternly. "A lot of that was thanks to you."

"A lot of that was thanks to us being at peace," Kakashi countered. "There were others who played a bigger part in that than I did."

Yuiko shook her head. "Sometimes you're really dumb for how smart you are."

"Uh oh," Kakashi said, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "It sounds like I'm in trouble."

Yuiko's expression turned sour. Kakashi decided to backpedal before he really _did_ land himself in trouble.

"I'm worried that you might be biased," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up in a smile. "You can't blame me for that."

Yuiko closed her eyes with a sigh. "I keep one ear to the ground, you know. I wouldn't lie to you about what the people think – they really admire you."

Kakashi let the statement sink in. No matter how many times he heard it, it was hard for him to hold on to the fact that he had been worthy of the position of Hokage. He knew deep down that he could have done more — that he could have tried harder to circumvent all the mistakes he made during his time in office. When he pictured the embodiment of the word 'Hokage,' his own image never sprang to mind. It was usually Minato, with his radiant presence that made him seem like an entirely different person than the man he once called his sensei. Sometimes he pictured Hiruzen, who seemingly had the correct answer to any given question down to the smallest detail. Other times it was Tsunade, who could command the entire village to leap into action with little more than a look. _They_ were the people he pictured when he thought of a Hokage. He would frequently gaze out his window at the tower and study the great stone faces, wondering how it was that someone as uninspiring as himself could have been placed up there among the greats.

"I've never gotten over the feeling that I was nothing more than a placeholder," Kakashi said. He felt Yuiko tense at his side. It was the first time he had shared that sentiment with her — or anyone, really. He was also aware that it was a concept that he was certain was shared among more than a few in the village.

"You better hope they're not listening," Yuiko said softly. Kakashi glanced at her in confusion.

"Who?"

"Obito and Guy," Yuiko said, raising her gaze. Something churned behind her eyes that Kakashi feared was disappointment. His stomach turned uncomfortably.

"They wouldn't want to hear that you did anything but your best," Yuiko continued. She stopped, the intensity behind her gaze increasing. "And no one is perfect. Sometimes you skipped meetings, or slept in late. Sometimes you procrastinated on a project so you could do a presentation for the kids' class instead. Once you insulted the daimyō when you told him that his paintings looked like they were made by children."

Kakashi's expression turned sheepish. "Well, at the time I thought they were – I had no idea he had taken up painting."

Yuiko's expression softened. "It took you four extra days in the capitol to get him to even speak to you about the amendments you were offering, remember?"

"Ah," Kakashi said, his gaze drifting away. "I remember."

"But you did your best," Yuiko continued. "You did everything you could for the sake of your people. You never wanted anyone to suffer, and you always kept them in mind above anything else."

"I think that should be expected of anyone who would call Konoha home," Kakashi said mildly.

"Exactly," Yuiko said, squeezing his hand. "It's that mindset that made you a great Hokage."

Kakashi continued to gaze across the courtyard. He slowly closed his eyes, turning his head to open them again and regard Yuiko.

"Sometimes you can be smarter than me," he joked. " _Sometimes._ "

Yuiko smirked, "More than sometimes. Even someone like me has enough social awareness to know to only give the highest praise to any work of art hanging in a person's home."

"It _was_ praise," Kakashi said, his brow drooping. "I thought his children painted them."

"The daimyō's children were in their mid-forties around the time you visited," Yuiko said smugly. "Any _smart_ person would know that."

"Recalling the age of the daimyō's children takes up valuable mental space that I would much rather use for more important things," Kakashi said, waving over his shoulder as he turned away. "Like how many cucumbers are left in the fridge, for example."

Yuiko put her hands on her hips with an overly dramatic sigh. "I take back all those nice things about you I just said."

Kakashi looked back over his shoulder, his eyes turning up in a smile. "That's the spirit."

—

"You're late."

"Did you expect otherwise?" Kakashi said, exchanging Shikamaru's irritated expression with a relaxed smile.

"Not from you," Shikamaru said, his gaze shifting to Yuiko. Yuiko chuckled sheepishly.

Shikamaru had briskly come to meet them the second they set foot on the rooftop of the Hokage tower. He had called over his shoulder for someone to bring Kakashi's hat as he made his approach.

"Well, I suppose there's no point in rushing," Yamato said, stepping around Shikamaru with the Hokage hat in hand. "The man of the hour hasn't arrived yet, either."

"Oh?" Kakashi said, taking the hat from Yamato's outstretched hand. "I would have expected Naruto to have planted himself here sometime around 2am."

Now it was Shikamaru's turn to look a little sheepish. "We _may_ have gone overboard with celebrating last night," he admitted, pulling a cigarette from his breast pocket. "Kiba wanted to see how many drinks it took to actually get Naruto drunk. I'm pretty sure the amount would kill just about anyone else."

"Look at you, being irresponsible!" Kakashi said, putting a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder. His tone was that of a parent congratulating his child on winning first place in the science fair. Shikamaru scoffed as he produced a lighter.

"NO SMOKING UP HERE!" a voice snapped from across the roof. Shikamaru regarded Konohamaru's minuscule form with contempt before snapping the lighter closed. He grumbled something beneath his breath before returning his attention to his companions.

"I'm going to step out for a moment," Shikamaru said, eyeing Kakashi. "We need to get this thing started soon if we want to stay on schedule."

Shikamaru's eyes danced briefly over Yuiko before finally settling on Yamato. "I'm going to trust you to make sure he's here when I get back."

"I'll do what I can," Yamato said with a nod. Shikamaru let out a resigned huff before turning toward the stairs. The group watched him for a moment as he stalked away.

Kakashi's attention drifted to the hat in his hands. He bowed his head, settling the bulky item over his unruly hair, and straightened as he clutched the brim to adjust its fit.

"It'll be nice to not to have to wear this anymore," Kakashi stated. "In fact, I'm looking forward to not having to wear _anything_ anymore."

"He still has his mind set on that, huh?" Yamato asked, smiling at Yuiko from the corner of his eye. Yuiko returned the smile.

"it's ironic that _he's_ the one who wants to go without clothing, isn't it?" Yuiko said.

"Think of it as a metaphor," Kakashi cut in. "I'm certain there's some message in there about me wanting to retire to an island where I get to be naked all the time."

"Aren't you worried about the Anbu seeing you?" Yuiko asked, holding back her laughter.

"It's just Tenzō," Kakashi shrugged, regarding the younger man. "We were on the same squad — he's seen everything."

Now Yuiko couldn't help but to laugh. "That's true, I guess; the two of us were also on the same squad."

Kakashi's jovial expression fell away. He slowly turned his head to regard Yuiko. His wife looked back at him with an innocent expression.

"You're going to get me killed," Yamato whispered, as if lowering his voice would keep Kakashi from noticing him at his side. Yuiko smiled, waving away his concern.

"He knows I'm kidding," Yuiko said sweetly. "Yamato always put up a privacy wall when we bathed; it was very gentlemanly."

Kakashi didn't seem convinced. Yamato cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"You know I never saw Yuiko in that way, senpai," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. Kakashi's gaze slowly drifted to regard him with a flat stare.

"Why not?" Kakashi asked. Yamato's expression twisted in confusion.

"Look at her," Kakashi said, indicating Yuiko. "Have you seen her in heels?"

Yamato's posture relaxed as he hit Kakashi with an irritated expression. "You're just trying to get under my skin, aren't you?"

Kakashi tilted his head and let out a disappointed sigh. "You've known me for too long, Tenzō."

Their exchange was interrupted by the sound of quickly approaching footsteps. The group turned to regard Hinata as she jogged up to them, a square bundle clutched to her chest.

"I'm so sorry to keep you waiting!" Hinata said, a flustered tone to her voice as she bowed her head. "I have Naruto's robe right here – he can put it on right away."

"Naruto isn't with you?" Kakashi asked. "It's almost time to start."

Hinata lifted her head, her eyes wide in alarm. "He isn't here yet?" she said. Hinata stepped forward, handing the bundle in her arms to Yuiko. "Please take this! I'll go home right –"

"W-wait!" Yuiko said, catching Hinata's arm. "I'll check on him first; he's probably just on his way."

Hinata's frantic expression slowly ebbed away. She exhaled heavily, bringing her hand to her chest. "Thank you, Lady Yuiko. I'm sorry; I forgot that you could do that."

"It's alright," Yuiko said with a chuckle. "It's been a while since I've needed to."

Yuiko closed her eyes, pulling up the sunny feeling of Naruto's chakra.

" _Naruto?"_

Yuiko's greeting was immediately met with an irritated groan.

" _I know, I know!"_ Naruto's voice echoed in her head. _"I'm on my way out now. I just gotta get the kids –"_

Yuiko frowned, waiting for Naruto to finish his thought.

" _Hey!"_ Naruto's voice cut in. _"Will you two cut it –"_

Naruto paused.

" _Hey, what's going on?"_

Naruto's chakra snuffed out like a flame being extinguished. Yuiko's eyes snapped opened in alarm.

"Naruto?" she whispered. Hinata's nervous expression returned. A hard line formed between Kakashi's brows.

"Naruto?" Yuiko said again, her voice rising.

" _I don't sense Kurama,"_ Kokuō said quickly. _"The connection has been severed."_

Yuiko's head snapped up. She swiveled about, her eyes dancing over the clusters of people scattered on the rooftop.

"Yuiko, what's happening?" Yamato asked, stepping beside her.

"Get the Anbu to Naruto's house," Yuiko snapped. She found her target, steam pooling around her feet. Yamato took a step back as Yuiko flew over the rooftop like a rocket, Naruto's Hokage jacket hitting the ground with a thud.

—

"The Hokage tower really has felt empty without you around, Shizune."

Shizune hummed, a bored expression on her face as she took a sip of sake. Genma smiled coyly, leaning one hand on the railing.

"I'm not saying Shikamaru does a bad job or anything, but he doesn't have that level of finesse that you do, you know?"

Shizune lifted a hand to cover her yawn. She blinked back at Genma with a tired expression. "Uh huh."

Genma fought to look suave despite shifting uncomfortably. "You know I, uh, never think I asked you point blank if you'd go out with me."

Shizune lifted an eyebrow. "No, I don't think you have."

The fact that Shizune didn't immediately throw her drink in his face gave Genma hope. His expression brightened. "Just one date. What do you say?"

A coy smile touched Shizune's lips. She opened her mouth to speak, and Genma prayed that he would be able to hear her answer over the deafening sound of his heart racing in his chest.

"AAAAGGGHHH!"

Genma flew over the railing, the senbon between his teeth flying free as he was suddenly hit with the force of what felt like a freight train. Whatever hit him had wrapped itself around his torso as he spiraled through the air toward the ground.

"NARUTO!" the thing cried, clutching him harder.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" was the only response that Genma could think to shout. His vision was suddenly filled with violet as a pair of eyes stared back at him.

"NARUTO!" Yuiko screamed. "NOW!"

Genma grimaced. His body flickered away only inches from the pavement. Instead, he landed on a hard mattress, rolling to the side. Genma quickly got to his feet and took in his surroundings. He appeared to be in a hallway, Yuiko leaning over the orange mattress they'd landed on … which was not actually an orange mattress.

"Naruto!" Yuiko whispered, frantically checking the prospective Hokage's vitals. Genma's eyes widened in alarm. He quickly slipped a kunai into each palm, flaring his senses as he tried to detect any other presences in the house. He caught Yuiko moving out of the corner of his eye, and he watched her warily as she got to her feet.

' _Unconscious. Stable.'_

Genma relaxed slightly as he watched Yuiko sign.

' _Protect target. Backup coming.'_

Genma nodded. He slipped one of his kunai back into his belt as he raised his free hand.

' _Two signatures. 3 o'clock. 20 feet. Weak. Injured or children.'_

Yuiko nodded and turned and walked down the hall without so much as a floorboard squeaking to reveal her presence. She reached the last door on the left, looking through the open doorway into the dark room. She stepped through the threshold, following the sound of rustling coming from the closet.

—

 _I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!_

Boruto pressed his back against the wall, staring at his younger sister. Himawari regarded him with a demented smile, her normally sparkling blue eyes now a pale grey that reminded him of a dead fish. He could see her studying him with the Byakugan, finding all the weakest points in his chakra network and deciding which would be the best one for her to strike.

 _I never would have messed with her if I knew she could do THAT_

"I … I didn't mean to break your toy," Boruto said, his voice shaking. Himawari took a step forward, causing Boruto to flinch. Part of him wanted to stand, hoping that he could intimidate his sister, but he was too scared to even try. Himawari had knocked _their dad_ unconscious — the strongest shinobi there is. Boruto would be lucky if he escaped with his life.

"Goodnight, big brother," Himawari said in a sing-song voice, pointing at his stomach.

Boruto's eyes suddenly drifted upward, and he screamed. Himawari quickly turned around in time to see the ghost peeking over her shoulder. She joined her brother in screaming at the sight of the woman's torso sprouting from the door.

The ghost scooped up Himawari, and Boruto's screaming ceased as his instincts to protect his sister kicked in. He lunged at the ghost, but the apparition simply moved to the side and grasped him around the middle. He struggled in its grasp, gasping when his vision went black and an odd tingling sensation washed over his body. Boruto blinked at the sudden sunlight filling the room. He looked about in confusion, discovering that they were somehow now in Himawari's bedroom instead of the guest room at the end of the hall.

"What happened?" the ghost said, putting him down. He blinked up at it, his mouth going slack as the ghost suddenly seemed very familiar.

"Aunty Yuiko?"

"What happened?" Yuiko asked again, leaning down to his level. She was still holding Himawari, who now appeared to be unconscious. Boruto glanced at his sister anxiously before bringing his attention back to Yuiko.

"Himawari got mad that I broke her toy," he said. "I mean, it was her fault too, so –"

"Who did that to Naruto?" Yuiko asked, cutting him short. Boruto frowned. He lifted his hand to point at his sister. Yuiko regarded him in confusion.

"Hima did this?" Yuiko said, clearly not convinced. Boruto nodded adamantly.

"I think she can do that Byakugan thing mom can do! She just came at me and dad stepped in the way, and then he went down, and Himawari was still chasin' me, so I hid in the closet, but then she still found me, even though I was trying to keep really quiet, but she still came in, and she was looking at me all weird, and is she going to be OK?"

It took Yuiko a moment to process the information. She looked down at Himawari, brushing her dark hair aside to place a hand on the girl's forehead.

"She used up a lot of chakra," Yuiko said softly. "If that's all that happened, then she'll be fine after she naps for a bit."

Boruto's shoulders slumped in relief. Yuiko frowned, studying his face.

"You're _sure_ your sister did that to Naruto?"

"Y-yeah! I saw it!" Boruto said, balling his hands into fists. "I mean, she didn't mean to – I was the one she was mad at. But she was all –"

The glass of Himawari's window shattered as a figure flew through it. The Anbu member tumbled into the room, quickly followed by three others. They studied Yuiko and the children briefly before one of them signaled to leave the room. Yuiko and Boruto watched them go with stunned expressions. Another shattering of glass caused Yuiko to finally jump into action.

"Wait!" she cried, exiting the room. "I think it's OK! Stop breaking windows!"

Her request was met with the sound of the front door flying off its hinges.

—

"Halted Chakra Point?" Kakashi asked, peering down at Naruto. He stood with his hands on his hips, studying his former student along with another twenty shinobi who filled the hallway.

"Y-yes," Hinata said reluctantly. She crouched before her husband, her hand resting against his cheek.

" _Himawari_ can do that?" Shikamaru asked in disbelief.

"Apparently, if what her brother says is true," Kakashi said, his cool gaze shifting to the child in question. While Himawari's slumber was being closely monitored in the next room, her brother had chosen to regard his father's unconscious form with a nervous expression. Upon meeting the Hokage's gaze, his eyes grew wide and he quickly stepped back to hide himself behind Yuiko.

"What are we looking at, Hinata?" Shikamaru asked wearily.

Hinata's hand dropped limply to her side. "He's going to be unconscious for the rest of the day, at least."

"You have got to be joking," Shikamaru said, his brow furrowed. "There's no way we can reschedule the ceremony – it was a logistical nightmare getting as many of the citizens out of their daily duties to attend the ceremony as it is. There's no way we could pull that off again on such short notice."

He sighed, rubbing his temple. "We can always have someone stand in with a transformation jutsu. I know it would be less than ideal for Naruto, but I'm not sure if we have another choice."

Kakashi's brow drooped. He glanced down at Naruto's unconscious form. "You might be right."

Killing intent suddenly flared from his left. Kakashi turned to regard Yuiko, who stared up at him with a furious expression.

"We don't have a choice, Yuiko," Kakashi said sadly. "I know more than anyone how much this means to him."

The intent faded away as Yuiko's shoulders slumped. She looked down at Naruto, a deep frown on her face. Her eyes drifted to Hinata, watching the woman nervously clutch her husband's hands in her own.

"I want to try something," Yuiko said softly. She crouched down next to Hinata to put herself eye-level with Naruto. "I was able to talk to him when he was unconscious before. He was a bit … _weird_ last time, but eventually I was able to get through."

"Will you be able to wake him up?" Kakashi asked, eyeing Naruto warily. "Sakura ran to the hospital to get more testing equipment, but even she seemed unsure if there was anything that could be done outside of letting his chakra coils heal naturally."

"I'm not sure," Yuiko said, moving herself into the most comfortable sitting position she could manage in a pencil skirt. "But I'll try."

"Please," Hinata said, grasping Yuiko's forearm. She regarded Yuiko with a face hardened in determination. "I know that this is just the ceremony, but …" Hinata trailed off, her eyes drifting over her husband's face with an affectionate smile. "But he's been dreaming of this day for a long time."

Yuiko nodded, regarding Hinata solemnly. She held her hand tightly with one hand, and grasped Naruto's with the other. Yuiko closed her eyes, finding that it was much easier to locate the small amount of Naruto's chakra while being in physical contact with him than it had been the last time. Kakashi's voice drifted through the darkness, the sound fluctuating as if Yuiko were hearing him from underwater.

"Make sure she doesn't overexert herself, Kokuō."

Yuiko pushed her chakra into the mental link, the light making up Naruto's chakra signature growing brighter. She strained against the force, her chakra reserves draining away as she poured into the link to make up the gap. She suddenly felt a surge, recognizing Kokuō's influence as she broke through the barrier.

Yuiko blinked against the sunlight. She raised a hand to shield her eyes as she looked about. The landscape was vastly different from what it had been the last time she took a look into Naruto's head, in that there _wasn't_ one. Everything around her was rocky terrain accented with the occasional large boulder. She turned around, growing still as she spotted the only familiar object in the mindscape.

The great stone faces jutted out the far end of the large crater. They were exactly as she knew them – not a detail out of place. In the distance Yuiko spotted a splash of color toward the center of the crater. She began to walk toward it, picking up her pace as she drew closer.

Naruto tilted his head to gaze at Yuiko from the corner of his eye as she stopped next to him. He smiled at her before returning his attention to the Hokage Rock.

"This place seems a lot less creative than the last time I was here," Yuiko said, peering up at him. Naruto chuckled.

"I guess that thing up there was all I really wanted to focus on, ya know?" he said. His smile turned thoughtful. "I can't tell you how many hours I spent staring at those faces. Funny that I never noticed that one of 'em was my dad, huh?"

Yuiko looked back at the mountain in the distance. "I don't think it looks a whole lot like him, to be fair," she said. "I never did; his expression was never so serious."

Naruto let out a barking laugh. "Right? After finally meeting Dad, I can see that."

Yuiko watched Naruto curiously. He kept his eyes locked on the mountain, but as the seconds ticked by his smile began to fall.

"It's finally happening," he said. Yuiko wasn't sure if the whispered statement was more in awe, terror, or both.

Yuiko let out a snort. Naruto's eyes momentarily left the monument to shoot her an insulted look. "This isn't funny," he said.

Yuiko shook her head. "Sorry," she said. "I'm just having déjà vu."

"Of you laughing at me at inappropriate times?" Naruto said, frowning. "Yeah, me too."

"Not that," Yuiko said, following Naruto's gaze. "A long time ago I stood next to Kakashi, who was looking up at the stone faces, just like this. I told him that he would make a good Hokage."

The pair stood in silence. Naruto shifted his weight, finally moving his gaze over to Yuiko as the seconds ticked by.

"Well?"

"Hmm?" Yuiko said, watching him innocently.

"You know what," Naruto said, his brow furrowed. Yuiko shrugged.

"You're not like Kakashi; you don't need the reassurance," she said. "You already know exactly the kind of Hokage you're going to be."

The corner of Naruto's mouth lifted up in a smile. A wide grin spread across his face as he stared up at the spot next to Kakashi — the spot where his face was going to be.

"I'm gonna be the best Hokage Konoha has ever seen," he said proudly.

"I'll hold you to that," Yuiko said. "Your predecessors have set the bar pretty high."

"I'm used to working my way up from dead last," Naruto said. He turned away from the mountain, facing Yuiko entirely. "I think I got this."

"I think so too," Yuiko agreed. She yelped as something shot up from the ground behind her. Yuiko turned as the new building shuddered before coming to a stop. The ground rumbled again, and another building sprouted up from the dust behind Naruto. A low rolling sound like thunder filled her ears, and everywhere Yuiko looked buildings big and small shot up from the ground to fill in Konoha's landscape. A tiny sapling pushed itself up through the dirt to Yuiko's right. She quickly leapt back as it twisted, growing in size until a gigantic tree towered over them, shading the pair from the mid-day sun.

"How's this?" Naruto asked, looking about at his handiwork. "A lot more like what you remember?"

"I would say so," Yuiko said, craning her head to admire the colorful buildings. "Yamato would be impressed, for sure. It's not too late to change your occupation to architect, you know."

Naruto chuckled. "Of course I'd know every nook and cranny of my home. If you give me a minute, I can fill this place with all the people, too." He put his hands on his hips, beaming. "But I think the real people of Konoha need me a lot more now than they would."

"Yes, let's get out of here," a voice boomed. Yuiko turned to see Kokuō and Kurama step into view as they peeked around the buildings.

"This place creeps me out," Kurama continued. Kokuō hummed, tilting its head to gaze about.

"I like it," the beast said. "It's like model building. He has a surprising eye for detail."

"It's weird," Kurama grumbled. The beast lowered its head to gaze down at Naruto. "Kokuō siphoned us some chakra. I should be able to use it to brute force through the blocked chakra points and carry us through the next few hours until our coils need to heal. You'll probably have to sleep for a few days after that."

"No problem," Naruto said. "Kakashi-Sensei won't mind covering for me for a little bit."

Yuiko held her tongue. She would ensure Kakashi handled it, whether he wanted to or not.

"Alright," Naruto said, extending his hand to Yuiko. "Let's get going."

Yuiko smiled, taking Naruto's hand.

—

"I don't recall giving you the right to volunteer me for more work," Kakashi said, gazing up at the sky.

Naruto stood a few feet ahead of them, beaming down at the cheering crowd as he waved. He stood next to his family atop the Hokage tower, wearing his full Hokage attire. Himawari was nestled in her mother's arms, partially asleep, while Boruto's attention drifted back and forth between his father's smiling face and the crowd below. Hinata's attention was firmly fixed on Naruto, tears forming at the corners of her eyes as she watched him with a loving expression.

"As if you'd say no," Yuiko said, regarding Naruto with a smile. Kakashi shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"You got me there."

' _I'm gonna be Hokage!'_

The words echoed in his Kakashi's mind. He had a vision of the man before him transforming into a child of twelve, grinning from ear to ear as he waved enthusiastically at the crowd below.

' _I did it!'_ he would cry. _'See, you guys didn't believe me, but here I am!'_

"It was one of the first things he ever said to me," Yuiko said softly. "That he was going to be Hokage."

"Same," Kakashi agreed. He inhaled sharply, turning away as his vision started to grow cloudy. Yuiko gave him a reassuring pat on the back.

"I'm surprised how composed you are right now, considering your track record," Kakashi said, quickly wiping his eyes.

"Remember when I excused myself to use the bathroom on our way here?" Yuiko said, smiling sheepishly. Kakashi chuckled, the tightness in his throat dissipating.

"Ah, you were gone for a while."

Yuiko nodded, a light blush touching her cheeks. Kakashi smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Let's get going," he said. "There's still some work for us to do."


	153. Epilogue

"Excuse me, miss. I'm conducting some interviews from the staff and students of the academy, and I was wondering how it is I missed seeing you before."

The camera came into focus, making its way up the woman's figure and coming to a stop at her face. Yuiko smiled, blushing slightly as she smoothed her dress. The dress was simple — a plain red with a high collar and the multiple diamond emblem of the Hatake clan embroidered above her left breast.

"Sorry, but I don't work here," she said, fiddling with the braid of hair over her shoulder. "My children used to attend classes here, but they graduated a little while ago."

"Oh?" the man said, lowering the camera. "You seem far too young to have children of that age." He smiled sweetly, sweeping back his messy brown hair. He had hazel eyes and large purple marks running over his eyelids and down the side of his face. He was sporting a green coat and light purple scarf, despite the warm weather.

"You think so?" Yuiko said, relieved now that the camera was off her. "I think it has more to do with my bloodline than anything. Although I do drink a lot of water!"

The man chuckled. "You seem fascinating indeed," he said, coming closer. "My name is Sukea. And you are …?"

"Yuiko," she said happily.

"What a beautiful name. Would you mind accompanying me for dinner tonight? I'm a freelance reporter, you see, and I would love to conduct an interview that's a little more … in depth."

"Oh! Well, I'm not sure about that," Yuiko said, looking away shyly as she put her hand to her cheek. "I don't think my husband would like that very much. He can get a little … jealous."

"Is that so?" Sukea said, leaning his forearm on the wall above her. "It's a pity that he won't share you, even for just one evening."

Yuiko blushed, looking up at him. "Oh … well, maybe not for the whole evening."

She clutched his scarf, pulling his face closer to hers. "But I don't think he'd mind if you got to know me a little better in the closet down the hall."

Sukea's eyes widened, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. "R-really?"

"Is that you, Yuiko?" a voice called.

Yuiko looked over Sukea's shoulder, her face breaking out into a smile. "Oh, Anko!"

She phased through Sukea, leaving him staring at the wall. He hung his head in disappointment as she skipped away.

"It's been a while," Anko said, smiling coyly.

Most people wouldn't be surprised to learn that Anko was a stubborn woman. She was so stubborn, in fact, that even after Yuiko had helped to save the entire planet, she still couldn't find it in her heart to like the woman. Her dislike for Yuiko became even more of a complication when she accidentally found herself falling for Yamato.

Her relationship with the Anbu captain was originally a series of flings during her stay in the hospital to give her something to do other than die of boredom in a hospital bed. But then Yamato started visiting her after she was discharged. And he was so damn _nice_. Before she knew it, he had asked her to marry him, and her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

But then something happened that threw her for a loop more than the proposal did. Yamato had dragged her to the Hokage's home to excitedly let his Senpai know the good news, and Yuiko happened to be home at the time. Anko had never felt more uncomfortable in her life, and she honestly considered how much trouble she would get in if she just took off running. She had exhibited some real S-rank sneaking skills when it came to avoiding Yuiko for almost a year, and was not looking forward to her chilly reaction to the news.

But then Yuiko cried.

Yuiko cried, flinging her arms around Yamato's shoulders and blubbering like a baby about how happy she was. She had enough tact to know that touching Anko was out of the question, but she still gave her a watery smile as a congratulations.

At some point Yuiko had just let the animosity go. That Yuiko was being so high and mighty pissed Anko off. And it pissed her off even more when she realized that when Yuiko started crying, she did too. The hatred was just … gone.

Oh, Anko still didn't get along with Yuiko very well, but now it was just because she found her unexpected visits and general nosy nature annoying as hell. Those habits had then been multiplied several times over when Anko had the unexpected pleasure of becoming her children's Sensei at the academy. Most teachers would have been over the moon to be instructing the Hokage's children, but all Anko could do was curse her bad luck when Yuiko started trying to strengthen their relationship by bribing her with sweets and popping up in the teacher's lounge after school "just to chat". Which Yuiko would do. Mindlessly. For _hours_.

But as annoying as it was, Anko did her best to heed Yamato's advice and try to view Yuiko's actions from her intentions. Yuiko meant well, but was simply piss poor at expressing it. Anko repeated this mantra over and over in her head as she watched Yuiko cheerfully skip her way.

"We stopped and visited Yamato on the way here," Yuiko said, pulling a letter from her pocket. "He misses you very much, and it sounds like his post is changing in only two weeks!"

"Thank you, Lady Yuiko," Anko said, taking the letter. "You didn't read this, did you?"

"What?!" Yuiko said, suddenly flustered. "No, no! Of course I didn't!" she laughed, quickly looking about. "Oh, look who's here! How are you, Shino? I see you got your teaching license — how exciting!"

Shino had come up behind Anko, a stack of folders in his arms. His eyebrows raised behind his visor as Yuiko addressed him.

"Y-yes, Lady Yuiko," he said, slightly flustered. "My students are preparing for the graduation exam now."

"Which must be why Lord Sixth is here," Anko said, looking down the hall with a smirk. "Isn't that right?"

"Ah," Kakashi said, pealing the last of the purple markings off his face as he came toward them. He had already removed his contact lenses and pulled the scarf up to cover the lower half of his face.

"Really," Anko said, crossing her arms, "the former Hokage running around in disguise pretending to be a reporter isn't very dignified."

"What's the big deal?" Kakashi said, pulling off his wig and stuffing it into one of the coat pockets. "I wanted to talk to the students before the graduation exams. I had a few things that I needed to verify." He cleared his throat, his voice deepening by a few octaves. "Besides," he said, holding up a finger. "I was kind of curious."

 _The two of them are seriously way too nosy,_ Anko thought, regarding the former Hokage and his wife with a frown.

"Will you also be taking part in the graduation exam, Lady Yuiko?" Shino asked.

"She would love to be," Kakashi said, slapping Yuiko on the back, "but she knows very well why she can't."

"That's not fair!" Yuiko said defensively. "I would be totally unbiased!"

"She would pass them all in a heartbeat," Kakashi said flatly.

Yuiko pursed her lips and crossed her arms. "It's just … I'm sure they all worked really hard."

"And if they did, those results will shine through tomorrow," Kakashi said, his eyes turning up as he smiled. "Now, I need to go meet with the principal. It was good seeing you, Anko, Shino. I'll see you in the morning."

He stepped past them, humming lightly to himself.

"I'm glad he's here to help," Anko said, watching Kakashi. "But I hope he's planning on at least passing a few of the students; it wouldn't look great if everyone from Shino's class flunked out."

Shino regarded Anko with a melancholy expression. "Please don't say things like that, Anko-Sensei."

"Don't worry," Yuiko said, her expression relaxing. "Kakashi has high standards, but he's fair. He's just as hopeful as I am about the graduating class – he just has a different way of showing it."

.

* * *

.

"Again!" Naruto shouted. The six shinobi standing about him nodded, breathing heavily.

"Ready!" one of them called. The six weaved signs in a flurry of movement, standing about Naruto in a circle.

"Now!"

They slammed their hands on the ground, and a purple barrier rose up to encircle the Hokage.

Naruto lifted his head, his body glowing in a fiery orange light. A crack formed in the barrier, and a splintering sound cut through the air as the split grew larger. Naruto slowly opened his arms, his cape rising up behind him. The barrier suddenly shattered, throwing the group backward.

"That won't be enough to protect the village!" Naruto shouted, looking about sternly. His comrades gulped in air as they heaved. A few of them tried to stand, propping themselves up against the short cliff that lined one end of the clearing.

"Despite the peace," Naruto continued, "we have to be vigilant. We could come under attack at any time without warning."

"And the barrier team won't be much good if they're exhausted," a voice said casually.

Naruto turned to look into the woods. A figure emerged from the shadows; Yuiko smiled broadly as she stepped into the sun. She was wearing her standard shinobi gear, her hands on her hips.

"Captain Yuiko!" one of the Shinobi said, getting to her feet as she regarded the former team captain. "We've been able to make the barrier much more robust thanks to your last instruction!"

"I can see that!" Yuiko chirped. "That was the strongest barrier I've seen you make yet!"

"In a few more months, I'm sure it will hold," the blonde kunoichi said proudly, raising her fist.

"Maybe even sooner than that," Yuiko said, smiling coyly at Naruto. "I'd like to try something, if you don't mind my interruption."

"Anything to take a break," one of the men said, sitting down heavily.

"Hey!" the blonde kunoichi snapped. "You're in the presence of the Hokage and the retired captain! You can relax when they say so, and not a second before!"

Yuiko's eyes widened from the collective groans of the team. "It's alright, Keiko," she said quickly. "It looks like you all could use some rest."

"The new captain pushes 'em a lot harder than you did," Naruto said, smiling at the woman. "It's nice havin' someone around like that. She kinda reminds me of Sakura, ya know?"

An embarrassed flush rose over Keiko's cheeks. "Th-thank you Lord Hokage! I will continue to push myself and my team to our absolute limits in order to better serve the village!"

Keiko's subordinates stared at her with downtrodden expressions.

Naruto chuckled, "But you guys have definitely earned a break. Besides …" Naruto's attention turned to Yuiko, a smirk growing on his face. "I kinda want to see what Yuiko's got up her sleeve. You gonna share?"

"You'll see," Yuiko said, hitting him with a playful wink as she left his side and faced him from a few feet away.

Naruto's body became enveloped in orange light that flowed over him like fire. Yuiko suddenly pulled eight senbon from her jacket, throwing them to form a circle around Naruto.

"Release!" she yelled, slamming her hand on the ground. The senbon had been wrapped in small scrolls, which unraveled to reveal strings of text. The scrolls shone with a white light, the lights connecting to each other and meeting up with Yuiko to complete the circle. Naruto stood in the middle, a smirk still on his face.

The chakra about Naruto's body spread out to push against the barrier. Yuiko grunted, but the barrier held against Naruto's efforts.

Naruto's brow shot up in surprise. "You're using Tailed Beast chakra," he said.

"I finally figured out how to transfer some of it into scrolls!" Yuiko exclaimed. "I can use their signatures to sync up with the Tailed Beast chakra inside you. It should still be effective for suppressing normal chakra, but you're at a particular disadvantage."

"Ya think so?" Naruto said, a gleam behind his eye.

A crack formed in the barrier to Yuiko's left, followed by another to her right.

Yuiko winced, pushing more of her chakra into the jutsu. The barrier suddenly shattered with an impressive explosion as Naruto's chakra shot out in a cloud of orange energy. Flashes of electricity danced through the cloud that rose above them, creating a crackling sound that faded as it dispersed.

"Woah," one of the shinobi said, putting up his hand to shield his eyes from the light.

The explosion faded, and Naruto returned to his regular appearance.

Yuiko sighed, hanging her head. "It's that stupid sage chakra. I still haven't figured out a way around that."

"Still impressive," Naruto said, approaching her. "I hope you can teach the barrier team that."

"Of course!" Yuiko said, her head snapping up. "I can make plenty of scrolls with the Tailed Beast chakra signatures. That should increase the barrier strength dramatically!"

"Good," Naruto said, smiling down at her. "If they can learn to hold off someone like me, then I'll be able to sleep much easier at night."

"Naruto," Yuiko said, her eyes growing dewy. "Look at you … you care so much … I'm so proud of you!"

She reached her hand up, ruffling his short hair.

"H-Hey!" Naruto said, batting away her hand. He glanced at the barrier team, who looked away to hide their grins.

"Good job, everyone. You're dismissed for today," Naruto said with a sigh. He regarded Yuiko with a slightly annoyed expression as she waved happily at the shinobi walking past. Keiko paused to politely bow to Naruto and shoot Yuiko a pleasant smile before following her team. Yuiko watched them go with a joyful expression.

"So, did you come here to get me?" Naruto asked as the barrier team leapt into the trees.

"Mhmm!" Yuiko nodded, putting her hands behind her back. "I think you already know the outcome."

"I was actually a little nervous," Naruto said, putting his hands in his pockets as he started to walk. "Kakashi-Sensei has a habit of gettin' … carried away, ya know?"

"Sometimes," Yuiko said, matching his pace. "But he means well. And everyone passed, from what I heard. He's really a big softy, if you look at it that way."

Naruto chuckled, "I guess you're right." A wistful smile grew on his face. "I can't believe my son is already a genin. We're gettin' old, Yuiko."

"Speak for yourself," Yuiko huffed. "We're Uzumakis; I think we've still got a while to go."

Naruto laughed. Yuiko's appearance hadn't changed much from the day he'd first met her around 20 years previous, so he didn't have a leg to stand on there.

"Maybe just in spirit, then," he said, grinning.

"I can't disagree with you on that," Yuiko said, putting her hands on her hips. "All Kakashi wants to do is hang out at hot springs like an old man. He gets lonely when I take missions, so I've just been wrinkling up like a prune for the past few months. Thank you for asking him to help out with the graduation; we've needed an excuse to get back into things."

"I guess I was feeling nostalgic," Naruto said. "I wanted Boruto to have a similar experience becoming a genin to what I had. Knowing that he's good enough to meet Kakashi-Sensei's standards also means a lot."

"He's talented, to be sure," Yuiko said with a nod. "He's a lot like his father in that way. I bet you're very proud." Yuiko finished her statement with a gentle pat on his arm.

Naruto smiled, looking down at her. "Yeah, I am. It's a pretty great feeling, ya know?"

Yuiko nodded, looking up at him admiringly. Naruto grinned, throwing one arm around her shoulders while he violently ruffled her hair.

"Hey!" Yuiko protested, breaking free of his grip. She grumbled in feigned annoyance as she smoothed down her hair, Naruto grinning ear-to-ear.

—

"So your dad's actually going to be there?"

"Supposedly," Boruto Uzumaki said, putting his hands behind his head. "But you know how he is."

"He's got to be home today," Inojin Yamanaka said, smiling pleasantly. "He wouldn't miss you becoming a genin."

Inojin had inherited the light blue eyes and blonde hair of his mother, Ino, his resemblance to Sai being apparent through his pale complexion and his frank way of speaking.

"I'm not getting my hopes up," Boruto said dismissively.

"My dad will probably make sure of it," Shikadai Nara said. Shikadai was nearly the spitting image of his father, even down to his lax nature. The only feature he had setting them apart were his green eyes, similar to his mother's. "He keeps track of the schedule, so both of our dads will probably be home tonight."

"Boruto just likes being dramatic," Sarada Uchiha said smugly, putting her hands on her hips. Sarada had Sakura's round face, but had inherited the dark hair and eyes of her father. She did, however, wear red-framed glasses — a feature that was unique to her.

"No I'm not!" Boruto said defensively. "It's not my fault that my stupid old man doesn't show up to anything!"

"You should speak less harshly of Lord Seventh," Sarada said, narrowing her eyes. "You're a real shinobi now – you should be more respectful."

"I'm Sarada! I'm a super serious shinobi!" Boruto said, raising his voice a few octaves as he mimed adjusting glasses on his face. "I wanna be the Hokage, even though the job is boring and stupid!"

Boruto skipped away as Sarada attempted to mash his face into the ground.

"Good one, Boruto."

The group turned around, noticing the boy who had appeared behind them. Mitsuki had pale skin, light blue hair, and large yellow eyes. He was a transfer student who had a habit of randomly showing up around Boruto, but it had been going on for long enough now that the group was hardly surprised.

"Don't take his side!" Sarada shouted. Inojin and Shikadai looked away, not seeking to be dragged into the conflict. Mitsuki tilted his head, smiling back at her pleasantly.

"Whatever," Sarada said, sighing. "It's not like arguing with someone as immature as Boruto is even worth the brain cells."

"Trouble in paradise?" a cheerful voice asked.

The genin looked on as a boy approached them. He was slightly older, with spiky silver hair that fell over his forehead. He had a squared jaw and dark purple eyes that sparkled as he regarded the group with a smirk. He wore a green scarf around his neck, which was an odd choice considering the time of year. However, those familiar with Beru Hatake would be hard pressed to think of a time they had seen him without it.

"Beru!" Boruto said excitedly, running up to him. "Why are you here?"

"Mom wanted me to come back to congratulate you guys on becoming genin," the boy said, putting his arm around Boruto's shoulders. "As if there was any doubt, right?"

"Easy for you to say," Shikadai said. "Your dad was really tough."

"Oh? He gets pretty serious about training and stuff. You guys'll have to tell me all about it!" Beru said, straightening up.

Boruto turned at the sensation of something tugging his sleeve.

"Boruto," Mitsuki said. "Who's that?"

"Oh yeah!" Boruto said excitedly. "That's Beru – he's Old Man Kakashi's son! He's a jōnin already, even though he's only a few years older than us."

" _Special_ jōnin," Beru corrected, his eyes turning up in a smile. "I'm studying to be an electrical engineer."

Mitsuki tilted his head slightly. "I see. That would explain why you're visiting from Kumogakure."

Beru's eyes twinkled in amusement. "You can tell, huh?" he asked playfully.

"White sandals are not a common fashion item in Konoha," Mitsuki replied. "Your scent also indicates that you've spent time in an environment with higher humidity."

Beru laughed. "I'm sure they loved you at the academy," he said, putting his hands on his knees as he studied Mitsuki's face. "You look … interesting. I'm sure there's a lot to learn about you."

"Be careful," Sarada said, crossing her arms as she looked at Beru with contempt, "Beru's a huge snoop."

Beru chuckled. "Someone's a little salty today!" he said, ruffling Sarada's hair. Sarada blushed, batting his hand away.

"Are you coming to our place for dinner, Beru?" Boruto asked.

"That's right!" Beru said. He straightened, his smile fading as he looked about. "I'm supposed to pick up dessert with Suzu, but she's taking forever to get here."

"Suzu's his sister," Boruto said, turning to Mitsuki. "She's … nice, I guess."

"I heard that."

Boruto jumped as a cold sensation washed over his body. Suzu Hatake appeared from around the corner, phasing through him and Inojin as she walked up to Beru. The two boys hugged themselves, shivering.

"Come on, Suzu," Beru said waving his hand casually. "You know how creepy that feels."

"I wanted to practice," the girl said quietly. She was slightly shorter than her brother, with straight silver hair that fell just shy of her shoulders. She had a sabre on her belt, along with an array of scroll pouches added to the standard flak jacket. Her bangs covered her left eye, and the rest of her face was almost obscured entirely by a black mask. Her visible eye was the same violet color of her brother's, but it drooped slightly to give her a naturally bored expression.

 _I don't know why she hides her appearance so much, considering she's standing right next to her twin,_ Boruto thought, frowning as the warmth returned to his body.

"So my father has recognized you as shinobi," Suzu said, regarding them coldly. "Let's test your skills – come at me with your lives on the line."

Inojin and Shikadai visibly flinched.

"I think I hear my mom calling!" Inojin shouted, quickly backing away.

"Uh, yeah, I should probably get home, too," Shikadai said, nervously rubbing the back of his head as he turned to leave

"See you guys later!" Beru said cheerfully as the two boys retreated. Suzu crossed her arms as she shot their retreating figures a disapproving glare.

"Cowards," Suzu stated.

"They've probably had enough action for today," Beru said with a laugh. "Maybe they'll be in a better mood when we see them later this week."

"That's right," Suzu said, her eye narrowing. "We're supposed to dine with them, too. Maybe one of them will be good enough to provide a challenge."

Beru sighed, "Or we could have dinner without someone getting injured — just a thought."

Suzu looked down, bringing her attention to Boruto and Sarada. "So my father let you pass?"

"He didn't just _let_ us," Sarada said defensively.

"Yeah, he was a pain," Boruto said, putting his hands behind his head.

"Too bad you didn't get mom," Beru chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Suzu asked, regarding her brother from the corner of her eye. "They had to find Papa- err, father in a forest, right? The test would have actually been demanding if it was mother."

"Yeah, but you know how mom gets around these two," Beru said, winking at Boruto.

"Fair point," Suzu said, returning her attention to Boruto. "Father isn't as lenient."

"Tell me about it," Boruto said, recalling how Kakashi had wounded more than just his pride. "But I've already figured out how I'm going to get back at him, so it's okay."

"Oh, I'm excited to see that," Beru said, putting his hand on his sister's shoulder. "But first, the two of us need to pick up dessert."

"I refuse," Suzu said.

"Suzu," Beru groaned. "Seriously, I don't want to get another lecture from dad about being late."

"Then let's make it a race," Suzu said, holding up a finger. "We will each find a dessert and see who reaches the destination first. On top of that, I will find a confectionery masterpiece that best suits the occasion based on the information I gathered from Mrs. Uzumaki's dinner menu, which I found on her nightstand earlier this morning."

"Wait — you broke into my house?!" Boruto said, wide-eyed.

"Yeah, I'm going to hit the convenience store," Beru said with a shrug. He turned his attention to the three remaining genin. "Any of you want to show me to the closest one?" he asked, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Sorry, mom's probably waiting for me," Sarada said, walking away. "I'll see you guys later."

"Bye Sarada! It was nice seeing you!" Suzu said, her voice uncharacteristically friendly as she waved at the girl's back.

Boruto regarded Suzu with a scowl. "How come you're so nice to _her_ _?_ " he asked snidely.

"She punches hard," Suzu replied, her voice returning to a familiar flat tone as her hand dropped to her side.

Boruto's brow furrowed, unsure if that was a joke.

"I'll show you to the store," Mitsuki said brightly. "Do you have any stories you can share about Boruto?"

"You're in for a treat, my friend," Beru said, his eyes shining. "We should have just enough time for me to tell the tale of how I convinced him that eating one of the food pills Inojin's mom made turned him invisible. He thought he could run around and do whatever he wanted as long as he was only in his underwear. You see, the ancient power of the invisible food pills was incapable of making any clothing invisible other than that …"

Boruto's hands balled into fists as he regarded their retreating figures.

"I WAS FOUR!" he shouted defensively. Boruto huffed. He turned around, noting that Suzu had already vanished.

Now that he found himself alone, Boruto made his way to the nearest storefront and positioned himself before the window until his reflection was clearly glaring back at him. He pulled a small can of paste from his jacket pocket, a sinister smile growing on his face.

—

"I'm home!" Boruto yelled, closing the door behind him. The long hallway before him was empty, but he could hear plenty of voices coming from the room to his left.

"Welcome back!" Hinata said cheerfully from the kitchen.

Boruto kicked off his shoes. He stepped into the living room and was immediately swept off his feet.

"I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!" Yuiko wailed, tears flowing down her face as she rubbed her cheek against his.

"Thanks, Auntie," Boruto gasped within her grip.

"How come she's 'Auntie' and I'm 'Old Man Kakashi'?" Kakashi asked from the couch. Boruto's younger sister was sitting next to him, coloring on a piece of paper with crayons. Naruto sat opposite them, his head leaning back over the loveseat as he slept.

"I couldn't make up my mind what to get you to say 'congratulations,'" Yuiko said, putting Boruto down, "so I just got you a couple of presents to play it safe."

 _Yeah, I bet that's why,_ Kakashi thought.

Yuiko froze, staring at Boruto. "What happened to your face?"

Boruto met her gaze, his lip quivering slightly. A large, deep-purple mark circled his left eye. Boruto quickly turned away, as if trying to hide it.

"It's … nothing," he said softly. "It just happened during the exam. I'm sure he didn't mean it."

"What's going on now?" Kakashi asked, rising from his seat. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, ambling up to Yuiko. Boruto flinched at the sound of his voice.

"Did you … hurt him?" Yuiko asked, still facing Boruto.

"What?" Kakashi said, coming to a stop. "Maybe a little, but nothing _that_ bad."

"It's okay, Auntie Yuiko," Boruto said, tears welling in his eyes. "It's all part of becoming a shinobi. That's what he said as he was beating me to a pulp, anyways."

Yuiko's shoulders twitched.

"Come on," Yuiko said, offering Boruto her hand as she straightened. "Let's see if your mom has an ice pack in the kitchen. And you can sit next to me during dinner so you don't have to look at Old Man Kakashi."

Yuiko phased the two of them through Kakashi, ignoring him completely. Boruto turned his head to stick his tongue out at him from behind Yuiko's back.

"Did you hurt my brother?" Himawari asked, her blue eyes staring up at Kakashi in worry as she approached him. Kakashi looked back at her, his eyebrows drooping.

"You don't have to talk to him!" Yuiko exclaimed, phasing through Kakashi again as she scooped the girl up. "You should just sit and color with the member of this household who doesn't get off on pummeling innocent children."

Boruto nudged Kakashi aside with his elbow as he walked past with an ice pack against his eye. The boy smirked, taking the free spot on the couch beside Yuiko.

 _That kid is going places …_ Kakashi thought, watching him coolly. _Although I'm not sure if they're going to be good places._

—

Kakashi closed his eyes, feeling the warm breeze across his face. He opened them again and looked down at Noboru's gravestone. It wasn't the original, since most of those had been destroyed during Pain's attack all those years ago, but it had been carved in a similar style, with the updated death date etched onto its plate. The sun was setting, causing the long shadows of neighboring gravestones to stretch across it.

"You changed out the flowers," he said.

"I had some free time today, since I wasn't allowed to watch the exam," Yuiko said playfully, walking up beside him.

"I can see you're still bitter about that," Kakashi said, irritation seeping into his voice, "considering how well you played along with Boruto's show."

"Not really," Yuiko said with a shrug. "That was more because it was funny."

"Funny for you, perhaps."

"I wish we had your camera," Yuiko said. "The look on your face when Himawari shot you those nasty looks during dinner was priceless."

"Honestly," Kakashi said, looking up at the sky. "First that, then the pea pods don't show up until halfway through dinner because Beru got distracted and Suzu couldn't make up her mind. It was embarrassing."

Yuiko smirked, "I'm swimming in the irony."

"You're not helping," Kakashi said flatly.

Yuiko leaned her head against him. Kakashi sighed, lifting his arm around her shoulders.

The light around them began to fade, the headstones reflecting the deep blue hue of the sky.

"Boruto told me about something he and his friends like to do sometimes," Yuiko said, looking up at him. "Want to go?"

"I can already tell that this is going to be something that I'm way too old for," Kakashi said, regarding her from the corner of his eye. "But why not?"

—

The lights of Konoha glittered beneath them like a thousand stars. The village was so much bigger now; Kakashi swore that he spotted entirely new districts every time he came to visit. Yuiko sat beside him, her braid whipping around in the wind. They sat atop the commuter train that circled the perimeter of the city outside the crater.

"I wonder what people would think if they found the former Hokage hitching a free ride," Kakashi said.

"Probably something like, 'that's alright, he's the one who had the railroad built in the first place'," Yuiko said.

"Ah, I see," Kakashi said, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "Then what do you think they're going to say about _you_ _?_ "

Yuiko thought for a moment. "Probably something like, 'look at that no-good degenerate, being a burden on society.'"

Kakashi laughed, and Yuiko's eyes closed in a smile. Kakashi's laughter faded, and he watched the wisps of hair whip across Yuiko's face as she turned her attention to the night sky.

"Do you ever think about what things would be like if you hadn't come back?" he asked.

Yuiko frowned in thought, looking over at him. "Did you know you can knit cat hair? I'd probably be doing that."

"I'm serious."

"So am I," Yuiko said, adjusting her dress as she shifted. "You haven't read my business plan."

Kakashi regarded her with a tired glare. Yuiko sighed.

"Well … I'm not sure about me," she said. "I'd probably have just wandered around by myself forever. You would have been alright, I think."

"That's funny," Kakashi said, leaning back on his hands as his gaze drifted up. "I think I'd be very lonely."

"That's silly," Yuiko said, waving her hand. "You have Naruto and Sakura, and Sasuke comes back sometimes. Plus there's Shikamaru, Sai, and Yamato, of course. Then there's Sarada, Shikadai, Boruto, and Himawari. And you're the Hokage, so literally everyone in the village is your family. There's no way you could be lonely!"

"Maybe 'lonely' isn't the right word," Kakashi said, looking at her from the corner of his eye. "'Incomplete,' perhaps."

Yuiko snorted. "You should get around to finishing your novel," she said. "You have all the best one-liners."

Kakashi reached out his hand, putting it over Yuiko's. She turned her hand over, squeezing his palm.

"The Nine-Tails constellation is out tonight," Yuiko said, pointing to the sky with her free hand. "It's hard to find all the stars, since there are 23 in the constellation. It's supposed to point east, toward where Uzushio used to be … but it kind of just looks like a blob to me, so honestly I think my grandfather made that one up."

Yuiko chuckled, amused by her own joke. Kakashi released her hand, moving himself closer to bump her shoulder.

"Come on," he said, his eyes turning up in a smile as he brought his forehead to hers. "I think it's time for us to go home."

.

* * *

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A/N: And there you have it, folks. It's kinda crazy how for the first time ever I sat down and wrote an entire story, which is kind of a surreal feeling. But I had a great time doing it, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it, too. A big thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. The support always meant a lot, and I feel that I've made some great connections with a few of you! You guys are AWESOME!

A special shout out to the following people who gave me great feedback and support to help me shape this story:

tabjoy13

PrismRootStarlight

DaddysLiitleGirl

Shakilove

Elise142

lilwintryangel

Also a big thank you to my beta/editor, who helped me to make this story what it is through his plot feedback and editing skills. If anyone noticed an improvement to my writing over the course of the story, it was 100% due to his help.

I'm the sort of person who likes to just chat about various anime and writing stuff, so if anyone wants to reach out about this story or anything in particular, just leave a review or PM and I'll get back to you! I've really enjoyed the community aspect of this site, and I'm always up for keeping it going!


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